The Gray Son
by CrisLli
Summary: A high society, elite secret group whose sole purpose it to take control of Gotham, has gotten their talons around a young Dick Grayson after the tragic death of his parents. What do they want with him? What will he become? Who was that man in the crowed, that tragic look in his eyes Dick will never forget? What will happen when they finally go toe-to-toe with the Dark Knight?
1. The Grayson Fall

A high pitched, piercing scream broke above the collective gasp of the crowed as the yong couples flight towards each other turned into a deadly decent towards the ground.

For a moment the enire world froze around the small dark haird, blue eyed boy. The last moment his parents were still alive. The moment before they hit the ground and would be gone from his life forever. The hundreds and thousands of moments that followed after would swarm around him. Disorienting and distorted. Just pieces of broken memory he'd try harder to forget rather than remember. The crowd that had stared back at him had become faceless. But he did remember one face. The one face that stuck out out of all the others. He had not understood why he remembered it so well until, one day when he looked in the mirror and that same face was staring back at him. Then he realized, it wasn't the face that he necessarily rememberd so clearly, it was the look on that face. It was a look that had known the same loss that he now knows so well. He often wondered what had happened. How long ago was it when he had lost his whole life? How old was he? What his life must be like now? Has he forgotten? Does he seek revenge? Or does he wallow in his own self-pity in the shadows of the life he used to have before he had lost his parents? Then a long black shadow had cut him off from that face and surrounded him in nothing but darkness for days, weeks, maybe even months for all he knew. Then a light had shown. So bright and so blinding that tears would have formed if he hadn't been so dehydrated. Even when he had squeezed his eyes shut, it didn't help any. He mine as well of not had any eyelids at all.

"Are you hungry?" A Voice seemed to surround every inch of him. It was so clear and poignant he could almost feel the words crawl along his skin.

He didn't answer.

The Voice became demanding. It was neither male or female. Nor was it yong or old. But a collection of everything. "I will ask one more time. And only once more. Are you hungry?"

He tried to speak but had found that he couldn't. So he gave the tiniest nod possible.

"Then you must eat." The smell of cooking meat had suddenly filled the air and his mouth, using whatever liquid had been left inside his body, started to salivate. "Well, if you want it. Come and get it."

He had started to frantically look around but there was still nothing but blinding whiteness. Just when he had given up a shadow formed out of the corner of his eye. When he looked, it was a door. He tried to run towards it as best he could and swong it open to reveal a table with a lone bowl full of steaming hot meat. Before he even consciously knew what he was doing he found his arms were already elbow deep in the meat and shoveling cunks of it into his mouth.

"That's a good boy."

Suddenly he started to choke. He was eating too fast and his throat was too dry due to dehydration. His stomach contracted and he threw up.

"Drink!" The Voice demanded.

With his stomach and throat on fire he suddenly heard the sound of water running to his left. He ran head first into the waterfall that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. With his eyes closed and mouth wide open he tilted his head up and gulped down as much water as he possibly could. The boy stood there for a long time just letting the cool, smooth water fall on him and soak him to the bone. But just as relief started to rise up inside of him, the memory of his parents lying broken on the floor came crashing down and he crumbled to the ground. The boy lay there long after he started to feel thirsty. He ignored it. He lay there long after he started to feel hungry. He ignored it. Even with the sounds of the water falling and spraying him in the face and the smells of the meat surrounding him. He ignored it.

"Help me." A small hushed voice ecoed in the boys ear.

He opened his eyes without realizing they had been closed and looked around himself without moving his body.

"Help me. Please. Someone. Anyone." The small voice cried.

The young male lifted himself up as the small voice continued to cry. "Hello?"

"NO! PLEASE!" The small voice rose into a scream.

He jumped to his feet and started to run in the direction of the voice. It screamed again and he ran faster. He ran towards a wall and just when he thought he was going to be cut off, the wall on his left opened up and he turned. He ran towards another wall until the one on his right opened. He continued like that for a while with the small voice that got louder and more urgent egging him on. Finally the wall infront of him was gone and once again there was nothing but darkness. Until he noticed a small pool of light that seemed to be in the heart of the blakness. In that light lay a small body writhing on the floor in clear and utter dispare. He ran towards it. once he reached the light he fell to his knees and started to shake the body that was still screaming. Eyes tight shut, arms flying every which way.

"Hay. It's ok. I'm here. I'm here to help you." He cried while trying to avoid getting punched in the face. "Please wake up. Wake up!" Fed up with fighting, he finally pins, what he now realizes is another boy, down using his whole body and slaps the boy as hard as he can in the face. The other boys eyes open wide as he flys up and shoves the dark haird boy off of him.

The dark haird boy gasped loudly. "Raymond!"

The other boy froze in place. Staring wide eyed.

Thats when he had noticed the scratches and scrapes all over the others body.

"Dick?!" He started to laugh and launched himself at the shocked boy and hugged him tightly. "Dick. I can't believe it. What happened to you? After your parents...after they." He stumbled. Seeing his friends face and the memory that was still so clear, he couldn't say the words. "You were there. Right beside them. And than you were gone. Compleatly dissappeared. Hayley and the others. We searched for you for days. We thought you ran away. How did you end up here? Wherever here is." He said looking all around the darkness. Searching for some kind of indicator that might have told him where they were.

"I don't know. You where right. I was there, right next to them. I must have blacked out or something because the next thing I remember is waking up here." Suddenly the small pool of light they were under spreads, getting wider and brighter until it consumed the entire darkness. But somehow the light did not seem as bright or all consuming as before. The smell of cooked meat started to fill Dicks nostrils.

Raymond breathed it in and his stomach started to growl. "Mmmmm! Is it just me hallucinating, or do you smell chicken. No, burgers. Ribs..." He rose to his feet and his old friend rose with him.

"Come on. Got something to show you." Dick led him back the way he had come. For some reason the path seemed a bit different but he couldn't figure out why. They finally got to the room with the waterfall and bowl of meat. It was still steaming hot and fresh. They collided into the waterfall first, bathing and drinking their fill. Once Raymonds thirst was quenched he got another strong whiff of the meat and headed straight for it, whith Dick right on his tail. With each boy on either side of the bowl they reached around eachother for the contents, eating as fast as they where able.

"Dis is be-er den chikin, bur-ers. Be-er den ibbs." Raymond moand around a mouth full of food.

Dick was noding in agreement when suddenly he felt an odd texture against his tongue. Something flat and smooth amongst the chunky, slippery meat. He pulled a peace of fabrick out of his mouth. He wasn't sure but thought he saw hints of yellow and blue. He looked down to see a bigger peace of fabric and picked it up before running up to the waterfall and shoving the two ripped cloths under the water. He washed them out as best he could and held them up to see that the fabrics were in fact yellow and blue. The yellow part looked like it had a design...like wings. Wings of a bird. Like his Flying Grayson costume. Like his parents costume.

"STOP!" He screamed at Raymond and ran as hard as he could towards his friend. With all his strangth he shoved the bowl off the table. It flew towards the ground and landed with a loud crash, breaking into peaces and scattering everywhere. Dick stood up straight and staring intensely into his friends eyes, he showed him the two peaces of fabric. Finally the realization struck and Raymonds eyes went wide.

Dick bent over and proceeded to throw up until he could not possibly throw up anymore. He continued to try anyway. He could hear the sounds of Raymond doing the same.

"Your training is ready to begin." The distinctless voice filled the space around them and the light turned obnoxiously bright-white as before.

Dick could no longer see Raymond beside him but he could hear his screams.

"NO! NO, NOT AGAIN. LEAVE ME ALONE! PLEASE! STOP!"

Dick tried to run but he had no idea where he was going. "Raymond. Raymond, where are you?!" Suddenly something grabbed him. The hold was strong and unforgiving. He would have screamed if it had not knocked the wind out of him. The more he struggled the tighter the clawed hand got until he couldn't breath and he lost consciousness.


	2. Talon

The small boy lifted himself up onto the platform. His entire body was shaking with fear and adrenaline.

"That's it. Now grab the swing." The sound of his father's voice traveled from the other side across the empty space between them.

"I can do it with you one more time if your not ready." The gentle sound of his mother's voice whispered softly in his ear.

"No. You have to let him do it on his own." His father responded, knowing exactly what his mother was saying without hearing her words. He could see the slight uncertainty in his sons eyes. "Dick, you have to try. Even if you are one hundred percent sure you will fail, try anyway. I'm right here. I promise. I will catch you."

Dick held the bar that suddenly felt too big in both hands. He took a deep breth.

"Ready." It was not a question. Dick gave one strong nod. "On three. One. Two. Three!" They both jumped off of their platforms and the small Flying Grayson in training flew through the air. He started to laugh as his fear got swept away with the wind that rushed passed him. His father had done a flip and now had his legs holding onto his swing, his arms out stretched towards his son. "Let go!"

Dick let go of the bar and flew freely until he felt his father's arms wrap securly around him.

"I've got you my little bird." They started to fall towards the net and Dick gave out another laugh before his stomach dropped and he suddenly rememberd that there was no net. He heard one loud scream right before he hit the ground.

"Dad!" He yelled out. Waking up from his horrible nightmare. He tried to get up but something was holding him down. He was in a hospital bed. There were padded cuffs wrapped tightly around his ankles and wrists. He heard the beating of a heart monitor in his ear. That was when he realized that his vision wasn't getting any clearer

"I can't see. Why can't I see?" The small boy started to panic as five blurry shapes closed in around him.

"Do not worry. We are giving you your medicine and everything will be better soon." The Voice told him.

"But I am not sick." He protested when he saw something large and long in one of the, were they doctors, hands. He felt a prick in his left shoulder and his entire arm was on fire. He screamed in pain as it spread across his chest to his other arm. Down both his legs. Up his throat and into his head. His entire body was set a blaze.

"Hush my boy. I know, but it will only burn until the sickness is completely gone. You will emerge from the flames clean and new and ready for your training."

Dick was sure that at any moment he would pass out. He waited for it. Prayed for it. It never came. He just kept burning.

Until he wasn't. Infact he was freezing. Child to the bone. He was shaking from head to toe. He wanted to wrap himself up into a ball but he couldn't.

"Begin the Bath." The voice comanded.

What had felt like an entire pools worth of water came down on his face. Steaming hot. He choked the liquid out until he could take one clear breth. It descended on him again. Harder and hotter then before. And again, and again.

Dick couldn't remember when he had passed out but he awoke to a searing pain in his right arm. Someone was cutting into him. He screamed. Tears streeming from his eyes. They kept cutting into him until he could no longer decipher one cut from the other.

"Begin the Bath again." The Voice comanded once more. For a moment the small boy just lay there, raw and bleeding before the pool of steaming hot water decended on him once more.

"Awaken Alton. The boy is ready."

* * *

Dick was now lying on the floor of a larg dark room, alone and naked. Something about him having to earn his dressings and weapons. They said he would come. When Dick had asked who He was, there was no answer, just silance. He lay there for a long time running his hands along his scar riddled body, not really registering it.

"Get up!" A deep growling voice comanded.

Dick looked towards where the voice had come from and saw a huge outline of a person with horns protruding from his head and shoulders.

"I said, get up!"

As the shape aproched, details started to form until the boy realized that the horns where actually bronz eyebrows on a black mask that looked like the head of an owl. And the horns on the shoulders where the handles of swards. The owl-man grabbed him with a sharply clawed hand and lifted him off the ground.

"So you are the one who is meant to replace me?" He threw the small boy to the ground and Dick gasped in pain. "Pathetic!" The bird-man spat at him. "Get up!"

As Dick slowly started to rise, the man came at him and gave him one hard kick in the stomach. The small boy fell back to the ground and spit blood out of his mouth.

"Do not worry. I will not kill you. Yet. Up!"

Dick didn't want to get up but what other choice did he have? Whether he lay there or fought, the guy was going to beat him to the ground. However, if he was going to go down, he was going to go down fighting. After all, he didn't care if he died. He would get to be with his parents if he did. He knew though, that his parents would be disappointed in him if he didn't at least try. So that is what he was going to do, try.

And so he got up. The man knocked him down. He got up again. And again, the man knocked him down. And again and again for days on end. Until Dick was nomb. Until it didn't hurt anymore. His body was bruised and bleeding from head to toe but that didn't make any difference. So after the millionth time being knocked down, Dick got up. He was facing the darknes and the owl-man came up behind him, just like he always did and moved, just as he always had. The movement to knock him down that always seemed to happen too fast for Dick to react had started to not seem so fast. This time, when the man's foot came flying at him, Dick dodged it, before the man knocked him in the head. Dick smiled, despite being knocked back down. He was learning. So he let it happen again and again.

"Knowing how to not get hurt won't get you anywhere!" The man spat. Dick just smiled definitely. It made the man angry. He was always changing up his combination now, but Dick got to know his movements so well, it didn't matter. Not to say he still didn't get hit but it was not nearly as often, or nearly as hard. Dick took his time learning every movement the man made, looking for any signs of a potential weak spot and then he saw it. The owl-mans arms where wide open and Dick launched himself at his face. The man's arms went up as quick as a whip, to block himself. Dick used his fighting partners upper arms to launch himself up and did a tight flip over his head. Just as the acrobat started to unravel he grabbed the cloth on the back of the man's mask with both hands and with the advantage of surprise and gravity, brought him down with him. Dick tried to move out of the way of the falling body as fast as he could and just nearly made it.

For the first time, Dick actually laughed. He did it. But before he could celebrate, the man grabbed him by the neck, lifting him off the ground and the young boy could not breath.

"That's enough!" The Voice comanded. Dick had almost forgot about the Voice, he hadn't heard it in so long. He had become so consumed with this one battle, he had nearly forgotten about everything else.

The Voice spoke again. "Give him a long blade."

The Owl-man put Dick down. "Yes. I will retrieve one."

"No! Give him one of yours."

The man paused. Dick Imagend that under the mask, the skilled fighter looked compleatly dumb founded.

"Now!"

He moved slowly, begrudgingly. He reached behind his back and slid the long blade out of its holster and handed it to the raven haird boy. Dick took it and as soon as he did, the man whipped out his other blade.

Dick dropped his and did three back hand springs until he was out of reach.

The solder growled deeply. "Pick up that sword. Hand to hand is over." It took Dick forever to get the sward back and when he finally did, he didn't like it. Didn't feel quite right in his hands, it was too big for his small frame but he did the best he could. Just like with the hand to hand, he dodged and blocked until he learned the man's moves and than he struck. Unfortunately Owl-man was better prepared this time and blocked it.

"Surprise won't help you this time. You will have to do better."

They kept going until he did.

Everytime Dick got the hang of one thing the Voice would command for him to get another weapon until he had learned at least five different ones. A Long sward. A bow. An axe. A spiked boll and chain, that he hit himself more with, then his partner. And finally, a boomerang. A very sharp boomerang. At first he thought the boomerang was dumb but it quickly became his favorite.

Dick cought the boomerang in his hand once more after the fifth time of slicing his sparing partner in various places. He couldn't help the dark satisfied, closed mouth, smile that spread across his face. Just as he prepared to throw the boomerang once more something grabbed him from behined. He tried all he could to wiggle free but the hold was unforgiving. The armed solder straightened up and dissolved into the shows.

"Begin the bath." The voice comanded for the third time. "Then the Battle will begin."

* * *

Dick was shoved violently into a cage big enough for him to stand up in. He was clad in some kind of chain mill armor. It was not the most comfortable peace of clothing the former acrobat had ever worn but he gessed it was better than being compleatly naked.

The wall behind his cage slid open and he could hear a crowd cheering. The cage jolted violently towards the opening, being pulled by four large ropes that were wrapped around four corners of the cage. The cage stopped once it was fully emerged into the huge arena. There were hundreds of people in the seats surrounding the battle field. At least Dick assumed they were people. He couldn't see any of their faces. They where all wearing white maskes.

"GRAYSON!" He could just hear a familiar voice call him from the other side of the field.

He surched until he found Raymond surrounded by a cage just like Dicks. There was a third cage aswell with another boy he didn't know inside it.

One of the white masked people on an outstretched platform stood up and raised both arms above their head. All three cage doors slid open. Dick was shoved out onto the battle field. All three boys just stood there, staring.

"Let the Battle begin!" The white masked person standing called. They let their arms drop and the crowed erupted in an ear piercing cheer.


	3. Everybody Leaves

The crowd had started to lose its enthusiasm. Nothing was happening, although the fight had begun three minutes ago. The boys weren't moving and neither one of them looked like they were planning on doing so anytime soon.

The white masked individual on the platform who had stood up before, stood again once more. As he did, the crowed became completely silent.

"The Battle, it has begun. Why are you not fighting for your lives? You all have already been tested and proved you are quite capable. So, get on with it."

"Why?" Dick asked, taking a step forward.

The head turned slowly towards the smallest of the three boys. All though Dick could not see it's eyes, he could feel them bearing down on him. "Excuse me?"

"Why? Why do we have to fight eachother?" Dicks heart was pounding in his ribcage. Almost as if it was trying to beat its way out.

"Because, if you don't, you will die."

He swallowed hard. "And if we do?"

"How are we supposed to fight without any weapons?" The copper headed boy Dick didn't know asked suddenly.

The White mask turned slowly towards him now. Dick took a small sigh of relief as the other boy took a tiny stumble back.

"If it is a weapon you desire than it is a weapon you shall have. Who will call it? Heads or tails?" It held up an oversized gold coin in it's hand.

The boy called "Heads!" At the same time as Raymond called "Tails!"

They threw the coin skyward and it spun quickly through the air and landed on their outstretched hand. Something about the hand didn't look quite right to Dick but he was too far away to see what it was.

"HEADS!" The crowd erupted. "You may choose your weapon." A peace of the wall by the boy slid open to reveal five weapons. He walked up to them and took two long wooden sticks off the wall. He turned and faced the other two boys. He was ready.

"Now. FIGHT!"

The boy ran head first at Dick, he slammed the two sticks together loudly. Instead of flipping out of the way the raven haird boy met the copper haird boy head on. His arms where wide open. Dick grabbed his shoulders and using his foot, flipped the bigger boy over him. He was heavier then Dick thought. They both landed on their backs, their heads next to eachother.

Copper got up, that is what Dick decided to call him since he didn't know his name and now wasn't exactly the time to ask. "Get up." He told Dick in a flat tone.

Dick did. "What are those?" He asked, indicating the two sticks that he now realized were bamboo, in Coppers hands.

He glanced down at them for a moment. "They are Escrima Sticks."

"Like Bruce Lee. Cool." The bright blue eyed boy responded.

"I know." The dark bown eyed boy replied. They looked at each other for a moment and then Copper charged again. Holding the Escrima in his right hand, he sent it flying through the air. Dick blocked it but than the boy hit him in the right ear with the left one. It stung. He did it again and again in all different places. Dick, using his acrobatic skills, was able to dodge most of the blows.

"Would you stop flipping all over the place!" Copper growled.

They heard a yell but before Copper was able to react Raymond came up behind him and using his entire body, slammed the other into the ground.

"Leave him alone!" Raymond sneard. The other boy pushed off the ground as hard as he could with Raymond still of top of him, until he lost his grip and fell off. Raymond quickly got to his feet and they started to fight.

Dick stood there for a bit just watching the two boys. Studying their moves until he could find an opportunity.

Finally Copper had Raymond pinned to the wall. They both were bleeding. As he stood over him, he rase his left arm in the air, ready to strike. Dick, just as he did with Owl-man, launched himself up and flipped over Coppers head. As he did, he grabbed the stick out of his hand and landed with bent knees, on his feet.

"Hay! Give me that back!" Copper called, dropping Raymond and turning on Dick.

"You want it? Come and get it." As hard as the bigger boy tried, he couldn't seem to catch him. Dick was too qick. Everytime Copper came down Dick was able to block him with his newly won weapon and then move out of the way. They sparred for a bit. Dick liked the Escrima so much better then that heavy, clanky sword. It was much lighter and more flexible, yet felt just as sturdy. Dick decided that he was going to try and steal the other one.

Raymond had moved to join his friend. "I want that other one." Dick told him.

"Then let's go get it." Raymond said with a smile.

The crowed watched with intensity as the two former circus performers circled around the young male, who did everything he could to avoid being backed into a corner.

"Give it up freckles. You are not going to win." Raymond taunted.

Copper didn't respond. Just kept his ground, turning his head, trying to keep his eyes on both boys. It was impossible. They moved perfectly in sink with eachother. Almost as if they could read one another's minds. He knew he would have to pick one, though that would mean leaving his back open to the other. He was going to choose Dick but than Raymond sprinted towards him. So he moved in preparation but instead of colliding into him Raymond simply ran past him. Just as Copper whorld around, Dick came flying at him. The small boy kicked him in the face. Causing the Escrima stick to fly out of his hand just as Dick hoped it would. He cought it and landed with his hands in the air. The former performer bowd as the crowed cheared.

The White Mask, which Dick now realized resembled an owle, on the platform, stood once more and the crowed quited. "Round One has comenced. Round Two shall begin as soon as the loser is disposed of."

Dick did not like the sound of _disposed_.

The Owl waved it's hand in a meaningful flourish. He could see now what was wrong with the hand. It wasn't a hand but a claw. That just like the mask, resembled an owls.

A soldier, clad from head to toe in the owl armor Dick knew so well, walked up to the boy still laying on the ground and promptly stabbed him in the chest.

Dick and Raymond both screamed but as Dick lunged forward he could feel Raymond wrap his arms around him to hold him back. "Let me go!"

"No. Dick, there is nothing you can do!"

But there had to be something. Anything. He continued to struggle out of his friends grasp. Just as he would get loose, Raymond would grab at him again. Which was only making Dick madder.

All he could see where limp bodies and he had to get to them. He couldn't take anymore death.

"Dick stop!" Raymond yelled in his ear.

"No!" He turned on him and started to attack.

"Wow. Hey man. What the- stop it!" But the son of John and Mary Grayson couldn't stop. He needed to get to his parents and this boy was in the way.

Eventually Raymond fell to the ground and Dick stood over him, breathing heavily.

"Finesh him!" A voice in the crowd yelled.

Dick stopped. "What?" He could feel the shock on his face as the realization of what he was doing struck him. "NO!" He gasped, stumbling back. "Raymond, I'm so sorry." He said, looking at his dear friend on the floor. Even more cut up then before.

"There can only be one winner."

Dick shook his head slowly. "No." A ringing started up in his ears. It was louder then the roar of the crowd. His vision was getting blurry as the world started to warp around him. He saw the soldier walk up to Raymond. The small boy, who suddenly felt smaller and weaker then ever, tried to move but found he couldn't. He was pinned to where he was. Though he couldn't feel or see it, one of the other soldiers had him wrapped tightly in his arms.

The soldier that had decended upon Raymond pulled him up by his hair.

The sound of Dicks heart, trying to beat out of his chest again, replaced the ringing in his ears.

The soldier raised his sward. Dick looked into his brothers eyes, the only family he had left. They both knew what was coming. He knew he was screaming, _No_. Although he couldn't hear it, he could feel the words ripping out of his throught.

For a moment, everything went silent and out of that silence came one softly spoken word. The last word he would ever speak.

"Richard."

The sickening sound of matalic slicing through flesh and bone ecoed slowly in Dicks ears as he saw the point of the sword emerge from his friends chest. And just like before everything paused for a moment. The moment when his friend was still alive. The last moment he would ever feel that small bit of hope that had come when he first saw the boy that was the closest thing he had ever had to brother.

And then the moment passed. The sword slid out and Raymond fell lifeless to the ground.

Dick could feel the vibrations as the crowd erupted around him but he couldn't hear it. He couldn't hear anything. Not even the sound of his own heart. It was as if it had stopped when Raymonds had. The world continued to blur around him. So Dick closed his eyes and decided to never open them again.


	4. Rookie

_My son. You were chosen. Only you. The others. They ment nothing. They were just a way for us to test you. To see what you are capable of. Oh, you are capable of much. If only you would let the past go and free yourself from the pain you hold onto so tightly. The past and all the people you loved that were a part of it. It's all gone and there is nothing more to it. So why keep yourself here, in this prison? Immobilized and in constant torture because of the things you can not change. Simply take hold of it. Yes! Grab it with both hands if you must. Now put it in this box and lock it away. Forget the code, throw away the key. Whatever it is. That is it. Now, my wonderful boy. You are free!_

* * *

 **Ten years later**

He was leaning casually against the fireplace when she had walked up to the door. The room he was in had high cealings, which made it seam narrow. The only furniture inside was a huge olke table in the center, lined with fourteen chairs. Everything in the room was intricate and extravagant. From the designs on the cealing, down to the gold specks painted into the carvings that made up the many window frames.

The young man had been staring into the fireplace, lost in the flames. She stared at him for a moment through the clear glass of the door. He looked so unlike the professional they had trained him to become and more like the boy they had found so many years ago. She could not see his face, for it was covered by the white owl mask every man, woman and child was required to wear. But she could imagine what that face must look like at the moment. Sad, lost, completely consumed by his own thoughts. With a turn of the knob she pushed the door open and stepped into the room.

When she looked at him again, he was standing erect and ready. Whatever sense of the boy he used to be was now gone and in it's place stood the proud solder he is now.

"Your assignment is ready." Was all she told him before placing the folder on the table. He gave her a small nod. That was all he needed. She turned on her heals and walked out of the room, without so much as a glance back. A pit rose in her stomach. She had a bad feeling about this. The doubt she had did not stem from his abilities or training. He was completely capable of doing exactly what they needed him to do. But when the time came, would he?

* * *

 **One year later**

"John Richards." A man in a clean, crisp uniform, decorated with badges called. A young raven haird, bright blue eyed man stood proudly infront of his superior. His own uniform just as clean and crisp but absent of decorations. They saluted eachother as the older man pinned the younger with his first badge.

The role call continued until the last name was called and the audience stood up and cheared.

John looked about the crowd. He knew some of the people in the audience as the family members of his fellow students. Their faces beaming with pride for their doughter or son. Their niece, neghew or grandchild. Or even just their friend.

John had those. Friends. Everyone in his class loved him. He already had a job with the G.C.P.D ready and waiting for him. They all had high expectations. He was going to be one of the grates.

* * *

It was his first day. He walked through the precinct as if he was already a well established brother to the rest of the cops their. And he mine as well have been with the way they all greeted him.

"Hay Richards!" One cop called from across the room.

"Rookie!" Another said, pretending to punch him in the gut. They both laughed. "Don't let Gordon give you a hard time. You'll be fine."

John gave him a wink. "I got this." He said, patting him on the shoulder.

"I know you do. Go get em tiger." His fellow comrade told him, with a slap on the back.

The new recruit walked up to the door that displayed the words _Captain James Gordon._ He was just about to place his hand on the knob when he heard two voices arguing inside. He decided it would be better to wait.

"I can't believe you did this to me again! I am just as good as the rest of those goons out there. Maybe even better. Hell, I could run circles around half of that class you just let out of the accadomy and on to the streets of Gotham, where they will be eaten alive."

"Exactly. Many of them won't make it past their first few mounths. Nevermind how many we will lose before the year is up. I do not want that to be you. I will not let my doughter run head first into the belly of the worst parts of this city just to be torn apart. You are too smart for that honey. Please, stay in school. Get your masters. Become a scientist, a doctore. A school teacher, anything you want."

"As long as I don't become a cop."

"Yes."

"Dad. I have watched you my entire life help protect this city. I just want to do the same."

'I do not need you to help protect this city. We have enough men and women in uniform...and capes, doing that. I need you to be safe."

"If you had wanted me to be safe, you would not have let me grow up in Gotham."

"Brarbra...Barbra, wait. Where are you going?"

"To class." He heard the sound of the knob giggling before the door swong open and hit the wall with a bang.

A young redheaded women stepped out of the office. Her face red from ear to ear. She turned on the spot and was about to walk right into John, until he put his hand up to the hight of her forhead and she walked right into his palm. She stumbled back a bit. "Hey!" She explained, rubbing her temple.

"Hay yourself." He replied with a crooked smile.

She gave him a once over before meeting his blue eyes. "Hmm." She shrugged.

He snorted once. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing really. You look just like the rest of them. You'll fit in just fine here." She went to walk past him but just before she did, she paused and patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck with him Rookie. He's a pain in the ass. He will push you until you can't take it anymore. You know what? There is something about you, so I'll give you a friendly heads up. If he ever gets hurt and you have the tiniest part in it. I will kill you." Then she took her hand off him and walked away.

"Ahh, Richards. Come in." Gordon greeted when he saw the new recruit standing in his door frame. The Captain indicated the chair in front of his desk and the young man, after closing the door, sat down.

The older man sighed deeply. "Do you have kids?"

"No sir." He answered.

"Never have a daughter." He said, deadpan.

"Okay."

Gordon laughed once. "Let's see. John Richards. Hight. Five-ten. Weight. One-seventy-five. Black hair. Blue eyes. Yada, yada. Looks like you. This is still your address?" He asked holding up the clipboard with Johns records on it.

"Yes."

He glanced at the form. "You have been in Gotham a little over a year, correct?"

"Yes Sir."

He put the clipboard down and sat back in his chair. "May I ask, why in the hell Gotham?"

John let out a little snort through his nose. He wasn't surprised by the question. "Well. Gotham is my home. I lived here when I was a kid. It's where my family is."

"You have family here?"

"Well, my parents."

"Where do they live?"

"Gotham Cemetery."

A knowing look appeared in Gordons eyes. "Ah. Where were you before you came back?"

"Little bit of everywhere." He answered vaguely, with a shrug.

The graying haired man spread his arms. "And yet, here you are."

"Excuse me but aren't you here as well? You left Gotham, didn't you? And yet you came back. You want to know why I think that is?"

He lifted his eyesbrows. "Enlighten me."

"Because Gotham needs guys like us. People who know exactly what this place is. From its brightest moments to its darkest days. From as high as Wayne Tower, to as low as the Gotham Underground. We knew exactly what this city was from the moment we were born. We have seen brighter places. With buildings that are shiny and new. Where they dream of tomorrow and soar to the skys. And yet, despite all that we have come back here. To the darkness. With buildings as old as time. Where most lay on the street and hope they don't die. But guys like us, we know. Gotham is more than just shadows and villains. Gotham is strangth. The strangth one needs to fight through the darkness and be a beacon of light for the rest of the world to see. That is Gotham at its heart. One day, that brightness will spread and the entire city will be set ablaze."

Gordon snorted. "Well, ya got heart kid. " He stood up and John fallowed. The Captain put out his hand and the young officer took it. "Hope you keep it long enough to do some good before this city beats it out of you."

"I can take a beating." He replied with a smile.

The Captain patted him on the back and led him out of the office. "Let's get you settled in. I'll show you to your desk."

"You gotta be freaking kidding me? Golden Boy? Geesh." A puggy man in a tan trench coat looked over the brim of his cap at the two men standing before him in front of his desk. He leaned back into his chair. It whined against the pressure. There seemed to be a cloud of smoke clinging to the air around him.

"John. Meet your new partner. Detective Harvey Bullock." Captain Gordon replied simply.

"I work alone" He challenged.

"Well, now you don't."

"Why can't you give him to Pat's?" He suggested with a wave of his hand, not indicating anyone currently around them.

"It's Pat's last week. He was supposed to go to Brooks. But you remember that raid last week, right? Now Brooks is in a coma."

"Why are you saying that like it's my fault everything went belly up?"

"Who was supposed to head that team?'

"I was."

"And who did you pawn it off to instead?"

"Brooks. Hay, I told you that I had my hands full with this new case that involved the Penguin, who is on red alirt I might add. For stealing those jewels from that..dead Queen, lady at the Museum showing last month."

Gordan gave him a look that seemed to say, _whatever._ "He's all yours. Just, make sure he doesn't die." He hit John firmly on the back once. "You two kiddys have fun." He started to walk away. "And don't get the kid waisted on his first day." He called, heading back to his office.

"Yea, yea." Bullock mumbled, uncapping a flask and pouring the contents into his coffee. He offered it to his new partner. "Want some?"

He shook his head.

The scruffy man shrugged his shoulders before taking a swig. "More for me." He put the flask in a draw in his desk. "Sit down kid and I will tell you how this is going to go. From this moment on you will do everything I say, without complaining or question. If you disobey any direct orders I give you, you will die. If we are out their and in a bind and you do not do everything you can to protect your brothers in uniforms backs. You will die. And if you ever disrespect Gordon , you so much as look at him in a questionable manner. I will personally send your ass on the next bus to Arkham so fast, your pretty little head will spin. You got it?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Now fill out this paperwork." Bullock shoved a stack of papers off his desk and onto Johns. He put his legs up. "And when you are done with that," He picked up another stack from off the floor. 'You can work on these." He lifted up another stack. "And these." And another one. "Well, what are you waiting for Rookie. I gotta hand these in by tonight. I don't have all day."

* * *

John was halfway through the last stack of paperwork Bullock had pawned off on him when someone announced, "It's the Batman!"

John turned to the center of the first floor of the precinct and there, in the middle of everything stood a tall figure, dressed in black. He was holding an unconscious man by the coller.


	5. The Face in the Crowd

"Well! Is anyone going to take this scum off my hands? He has information about the Penguin case."

"Fryer, Jinkens, take him. Put him into holding. We'll question him once he wakes." Gordon called from the upper level, only feet away from John.

Batman gave the Captain a nod and then with a floresh, dissappeared.

John sat there for a moment. He couldn't be sure, even with his trained eye. He thought he had seen the caped crusader tilt his head in his direction just before he dissappeared.

"Everybody back to work! Just because the Batman cought one scumbag dosn't mean there aren't a hundred more just like him still out there." He turned to Harvey and they exchanged a look. Harvey flicked the rim of his hat and Gordon turned on the spot and went right back into his office. No one saw or heard from him for the next couple of hours.

* * *

Over the next few months John would see the Batman a lot. Only for short moments at a time when he would suddenly appear in the precinct with a bad guy or two. Or three. And then he would dissappear. Never really acknowledging anyone but Gordon.

And again when he started going on patrol. Just when everything was about to go horribly wrong he would notice a figure lurking in the shadows. Or when someone would slip out of their fingers. They would get a call with a location and when they showed up, there would be the bad guy. Nicely gift wrapped and waiting for them with a note and everything.

Even the nights he wasn't on patrol for the police. He'd see him in the shadwows. Flying across the rooftops of Gotham or lurking around in the sewers. Always just out of sight to those who didn't know how to look.

But the most impressive thing to John wasn't the Batman himself but the marks he left all over the city. The most imposing one being the beacon that shown in the sky at night. The outline of a bat in the clouds. It seemed to sum up what John knew about the Batman perfectly. A dark shadow surrounded by a pool of light.

* * *

It was raining, when was it not? It was cold, typical for the middle of January. It was dark, as it usually is at night, in an ally way behind an abandoned building. Or at least that is what the current occupants wanted you to think. He made quick work of climbing up the side of the building to the rooftop. He stopped to scan his surroundings before flipping onto the flat roof. At first he thought that he had lost his target again until he found him purched on a ledge located on the far right corner of the building.

The dark shadow had his cape wrapped tightly around him and he was completely immobile, for a long time.

Someone started to yell. "No! Stop! This was not apart of the deal!" A gun went off and the Batman was gone. He'd jumped off the roof, his cape flapping violently behind him in the harsh wind. The man watching him from the shadows heard a window break.

"It's him!" Someone shouted. More guns fired over the next minute or so and then everything was quiet...exept for the sound of rain and thunder.

He sat there for a moment, waiting for some kind of sign but none came. So he jumped off the roof and through the previously broken window. The room was dark. There were body's scattered all over the floor. None of them were his target. He walked past them without a second thought and through the open door.

The rest of the building was even darker. There seemed to be no windows or lights anywhere. Not that it made any difference. He knew how to navigate the darkness just fine. He ended up finding a stairwell and made it down about five flights before he saw light through the space between the exit door and the floor. He heard a clicking noise before feeling something hard and circular press against the side of his head.

"My, my, my. What do we have here?" A deep, male voice whispered in his ear. "Well, this is an interesting costume. What is with you vigilantes and dressing up like birds? Is it because you think you are so high above us? Or is it so you can fly away when you are scared?" He laughed harshly. "Think you can fly faster than a bullet Owl Man?"

He smiled under his mask. "Just call me Gray." He spun faster then the guy could pull back the trigger. The bullet hit the wall. He grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm until the gun fell to the ground. He kicked him in the stomach with his knee and the man collapse on the floor. Gray went to grab the doorknob and as he did, the guy got up and using all his strangth, pushed him into the door. The hinges gave and they fell into the next room.

Gray used the force to his advantage. As soon as the door hit the ground he pushed up and flipped, taking the guy on top of him with him. They hit the floor with Gray on top. He flipped again and was on his feet.

The other guy rolled and was on his feet as well. He took off his night vision goggles and threw them to the side. "Here birdy, birdy." He slid a knife out of his shoe. He charged forward. Gray was ready.

"Let's see how fast you can fly." Gray bent down as the man charged at him. Grabbing him by his legs, he lifted and flipped the man over the railing that lind the upper deck. Gray turned and watched the man fall past three more floors before he landed on a guy tied to a chair. Batman, who had been interrogating him, looked up.

"Oh crap!" Gray cussed to himself, falling back out of sight. _Did he see me? That was sloppy. Don't be so careless Grayson!_

A claw flew up and attached itself to the railing.

'Crap!"

The Batman made his way over the railing and started to scan the area, especially the shadows. But no one seemed to be there. He saw the door to a stairwell on the floor. He made his way over it and was just about to go up when he heard the sirens. The police where here, with Gordon. He'd have to brief them on the situation.

Gray watched him from the upper level, turn and descend down the stairs.

* * *

Gordan dropped a stack of papers right on top of the ones John was currently working on. "Richards. I need you on guard duty tomorrow during the parade."

"He's already gonna be guarding the front entrance." Bullock said with a yawn.

"I don't need him at the front entrance, I need him at Wayne Towar. Your going to be with me. We need a small perimeter and apparently I am not atractive enough to be on camera."

"Who are we guarding?' John asked.

"Bruce Wayne."

* * *

It was a bright sunny morning, surprisingly. Though, it was still pretty early. A crowed had already started to line the streets. John yawned. He and two other men were standing outside the entrence of Wayne Tower waiting for Captain Gordon to escort Mr. Wayne and his small entourage out of the building.

A young blond reporter with a small crew was stationed on the sidewalk right infront of the stairs they were going to have to decend. She looked up at John as he took another sip of his coffee and smiled. He gave her a little wink. She blushed and turned away.

"They always like the tall dark and brooding type don't they?" Jinkens said to Fryer.

"Well, I got the tall. You got the dark. Maybe if we share we could actually get a date for this weekend." Fryer replied.

"I don't know. Hay Richards, want to give us some brooding lessons?"

'Yea, sure. Right after I'm done flying through the streets of Gotham."

"Ooo. Good idea. Just say everything like Batman." Fryer screwed up his face and lowered his voice into a grunt. "Hey lady. Wanna go out? I'm Batman!"

Jinkens choked out his coffee. "That is not what he sounds like at all."

"You have to growl a bit more." John added.

'I'm Batman." Jinkens tried.

"I'm Batman!" Fryer tried again. They kept going back and forth like that until the door swong open and Gordon stepped out with Bruce Wayne. The two cops faces turned bright red and they straightened up.

"Jinkens. Fryer." Bruce said with a smile.

"Mr. Wayne." They greeted at the same time.

"Bruce, this is John Richards." Bruce turned to John, lifting his arm to shake his hand.

John froze as a peace of a memory he had long forgot about rose to the surface.

 _It's him!_


	6. Another Side

**Over Eleven Years Ago**

The entire crowd had gasped in mutual shock and horror as they watched the young couple fall to their deaths. But while the audience had been watching them, Bruce had been watching the young boy. He'll never forget the sound of his screem, or the look on his face. He knew that look so well. It was the look he saw everyday when he saw his reflection. The scream was the same sound he heard every night when he went to bed and dreamed about his parents.

This poor boy, his soul called out to him. As everyone rushed about, some running towards the tragedy, others running away, he never lost sight of the boy. Until a figure, seeming to appear out of nowhere stepped infront of the youngest Flying Grayson. He was crying on the floor infront of his parents...and then he wasn't. He wasn't anywhere. They searched for days, weeks. Batman searched for months, years. But not even he, the great detective, could find Richard John Grayson.

* * *

 **Some Years Later**

"Oh, come on! You know I can do this. I'm already a black belt. I have a four-point-O G.P.A, only because there is nothing higher than that. I just helped you find the Jokers Layer. Which you have been looking for for months. And _I_ just saved _your_ ass back there"

"You helped me find _a_ layer and the Joker isn't even here anymore."

"Technicalitie. Your really going to use that as an excuse?"

"No."

She mimicked him. " _No._ You sound just like my father."

"That's because he is right. The dark alleys of Gotham are no place for someone like you."

"Why? I swear, if you say it is because I am a girl, _again_. We already had this conversation that night I saved Bruce Waynes butt. What, my Orical program is good enough for you to use when you need a virtual map to get through Gotham Underground? But me as Batgirl isn't?"

"You are still so young. You have so much to offer this world. Finesh sch-"

 _If he only knew the speach I had already had planned when he had accepted my help after I hacked into his communication systems. How I had memorized every dark nook and cranny of Gotham city. I studied every map the Gotham City Library had, and even more that they didn't. How I never forgot a face. How I could study and analyze everything and everyone around me and store it in my brain like a file on a computer. But than I realized, I didn't need him or his approval. He may have been my inspiration, but I am the one who did all the work to get to were I am now._ "Stop right there. You do not think that I have heard that speach a million times?! I know perfectly well what I am capable of. Your right. I can be anything I want and I don't need anyone's permission. I'm doing this, whether you exept that or not. I really don't care. It would have been nice to have your help, but don't think for one second that I need it. You don't have a monopoly on this city. Despite what people may believe, you can not be everywhere at once. Neither can the G.C.P.D. Hell, half of the cops on that force are corrupt. So while you are off in some other city, chasing a lead on some doomsday device some crime boss is about to set off. And the G.C.P.D is stretched so thin they can't even get the jump on a common criminal. You bet your ass, I'll be there. Don't worry about magically dissappearing into the shadows while you think I'm destracted. I'll leave you to comb through this mess all on your own, since you don't need any help." She turned and started to walk away.

"And what makes you think that you can fight the scum of Gotham all by yourself?"

She stopped. "What makes you think that I am all by myself? Not all of us are brooding loners who feel the need to fight the darkness all alone. It's like you have a personal vendetta against the criminals in this city. The rest of us? We just want to make sure that our home has a chance at a better tomorrow." And with that, she was gone.

* * *

 **Ethiopia: A Couple Of Yeas Later**

"Is this because I tried to steel the tires off your car? That was years ago man!" He asked, troting behind the Caped Crusader , trying to keep up.

"No." He walked a bit faster, letting his cape flap behind him.

"But I can help you."

"Go away kid."

He started to run, trying to get ahead of him. "But I saw him. I saw where the Joker went."

He turned on the spot and grabbed the young redheaded boy by his sholders. "Listen to me kid. The Joker? He is dangerous, ok?"

"But you brought me all the way here. You helped me find my mother. Now let me help you."

"I did not bring you here. I just fallowed you to make sure you didn't get yourself killed. Please Jason. Just go be with your mother. Enjoy your time together. Make up for all the time you have lost. Not all of us get that chance."

The young adolescent pushed him away. "Fine! Whatever."

 **A few hours later**

He was almost there. He's so close. "Hold on kid!" He exclamed through gritted teath, running towards the warehouse as fast as he could. An explosion went off from the inside. The force sent Batman flying in the opposite direction. He landed on the ground hard but quickly got to his feet and kept running.

'No!" He found the boy on the floor, bleeding from head to toe. He held his lifeless body in his arms. "I'm so so sorry." He had hardly known the boy. He was just a troubled kid from the streets who had lost both his parents. Bruce knew all too well what that was like. He tried to help him. But everything he did just seemed to put the kid in worse situations and now he was dead.

 **Later: Back in Gotham**

Bruce stood there, staring at his reflection in the window. "I don't know what more I could have done Alfred. Maybe I should have taken him in. Maybe I would have been able to help him...protect him...maybe he wouldn't be dead...Sometimes I wonder what good I'm actually doing as Batman."

"Master Bruce. None of this is your fault. The boys mother. She was not involved with good people. She sold her own son, to the Joker of all people. You can not save everyone."

"I should have been able to save him."

* * *

 **Over Eleven Years Ago**

"I don't know about this Jack."

"He'll be fine."

"But he's so young and there is so much going on. What if it's too much?"

"Look at him. He's fine." He smiled down at his young son, fascinated at all the things going on around him. Another kid passed by holding a huge elephant shaped balloon.

The young boys eyes went wide.

"See." Jack said with a smile.

Janet smiled warmly at her son but she was still unsure.

"Excuse me? Hi. Would you mind taking a picture with our son? It's his first time at the circus."

"Of course!" A young pretty women in an acrobat uniform said kindly, standing next to a dark haird man and a much younger dark haird boy with bright blue eyes, both wearing the same uniform.

"What's this little man's name?" The man asked.

"Timothy."Janet answered.

The youngest Grayson of The Flying Graysons stepped forward and bent down in front of the little boy. "Hi there Tim. My name's Dick. You excited to see the show?"

Tim nodded. His eyes seemed to be even wider and brighter then they were when he had seen the balloon.

"You look like your pretty flexible. Here, try this." Dick took his thumb and bent it. Tim promptly did the same. "That's awesome! Good job, not many people can do that. Ever think about running away and joining the circus?" Dick said with a wink." Sure we could use another Flying Grayson. I'll teach you everything you need to know."

Tim laughed excitedly.

"Don't go giving the boy ideas now." John, Dicks father laughed.

"You guys ready for the picture?" The photographer asked kindly.

The parents all stood next to eachother while Dick knelt infront of them next to Tim. Their smiles where toothy and joyful.

"Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. Can't wait to see you in the show." Janet said to the couple in thanks, feeling a bit more at ease.

"Oh, it was no problem at all." Mary replied.

"Break an arm out there." Jack said with a knowing smile. Janet gave him a look. "What? That's showbiz lingo for good luck."

"It's, break a leg." She corrected.

He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit bashful. "Oh, well. Break a leg than."

Mary smiled. "Thanks. Come on Dick. It's time to get ready for the show."

"Be right there. I'll see you later buddy."

Tim was sad to see his new friend go.

"Don't worry Tim. Everything will be fine. You know what? I'm going to dedicate this performance to you. You'll be my good luck charm. Would you like that?"

Tim smiled and noded.

Dick patted him on the head. The three Graysons waved goodbye to everyone and dissappeared behind the tent.

 **Three years ago**

 **"** So you like Batman huh?" Tim looked up from his duffle bag that he was currently stuffing his uniform into. The inside was lind with batman prints and patches.

"Who dosn't." He replied to the tall redhead standing over him. Her name was Barbra but everyone called her Babs. She was the sennsei's assistant. She was cool, for a girl. You did not want to get on her bad side.

"True. Good job in class today. The sensei is going to be out next week. He asked me to lead the class while he is gone. You wanna help?"

"You mean, I'll get to have your job?"

She laughed. "It's only temporary and your not getting paid. Though if you keep going at the rate that you are. Who knows?"

"Think I could take on Batman?"

"I don't know kid. He's pretty tough."

"Sometimes I think he is just lonely. I mean, you'd think after all these years he'd have a partner or something. It's got to be a hard job, taking on half of Gotham all by yourself."

"Yeah."

"Maybe, if I'm strong enough? Smart enough? One day I could do that?"

"Hey kid. You want to be a superhero? Do it. But do it in your own time. On your own terms. Don't wait for the hero's that are already out there to accept you, or let you into their own little secret hero club. Paith your own path."

"Yea. I guess." He stood up and a small peace off paper fell out of one of the pockets of his bag and on to the floor. Barbra picked it up and turned it over. It was a picture.

"Hey. I remember Hayley's Circus. Haven't been to a show in a while. The Flying Graysons. Isn't that the couple that died?"

He took the picture from her hand. "Yea. That was taken the day it happend."

She gasped. "Oh my. You were there?"

"Yeah. It's so sad. They were such a nice family. Their son was especially nice to me. Dick. I still remember his name. He became my hero the moment I saw him. I wanted to be just like him. When it happened. My mom, she wanted to shield me from it. I was so young. But all I wanted to do was run up to Dick and make sure he was okay, but then he dissappeared and no one ever saw him again. I remember telling my parents that I was going to keep this picture for him. For when they found him. I was going to give it to him so he could have something to remember his parents. He dedicated that performance to me. Said I was his good luck charm. So much for that." He could still remember the events of that day so clearly, as if it just happened. He used to have nightmares about it all the time. They would always start with the parents falling and then Dick would dissappear. Sometimes he'd dream that the shadow who took him was killer Crock and Tim would see him eating Dick. One night he even dreamt that the shadow was Batman. His eyes where red and his teeth were sharp. Dick would dissolve into the folds of his cape. When Batman would open them wide, to spread out his wings, his chest would be ripped open and all you would see was his rib cage and in place of his heart would be a little bird flapping around. Then Batman would soar up to the sky and dissappear. One day while his dad was reading him a book he saw the bird and asked his father what kind it was. He had told him that it was a Robin.

"Hey. It wasn't your fault. It was an accident." She said softly, grabbing his shoulder.

"No. It wasn't. Wonder if they ever cought the guy who did it."

"Tim. Your parents are here." Someone called from the front.

He placed the picture into his pocket. "I gotta go. I'll see you next week."

"Get here an hour early so I can prep you on the lesson and you can help me set up."

"No problem partner." He said, his face brightening up a bit as he jogged to his parents.

 **Some weeks later**

'Tim!" She exclamed after catching the kid she just chased down for two blocks. He had a hood on but it fell away as soon as she grabbed him and spun him around.

"How do you know my name? Hey. I know you. Your that Batgirl I see pop up in the news from time to time. Are you like Batmans Sidekick or something? I never really see you with him."

"No. What are you doing out here?"

"I got a lead on this guy who killed my friends parents okay. Tony Z." He ripped himself out of her hold.

"Zucco! What did you think? You where going to take on a crime boss all by yourself? Your gonna get yourself killed kid." She couldn't believe it. What were the chances that they would be looking for the same person on the same day. And how the heck did this kid manage to get the same lead she had?

"I know what I'm doing. I'm not some stupid kid."

"You sure about that?" _Because I'm not._ She fineshed to herself.

"I don't need you! I'm going to get him. That scum deserves life in prison. Your not going to help me. So just get out of my way!"

'Okay-okay! Fine. If I help you find Zucco, you promise you won't do anything and we will just let the cops deal with him?"

He sat there for a moment, staring her down. She didn't blink once. "Fine!"

"You want to be a real superhero kid? Put this on. That hood is a horrible disguise." She handed him a domino mask.

He gave her a look. "It's purple."

"Just put it on. It's dark. No one will be able to tell."

He put it on and then his hood. "Can I have a code name?"

"Sure kid." She said, motioning for him to fallow her.

"Hmmm? I need a good one."

"Red." She answerd, looking around the side of the building they were behind.

"What?"

She looked at him. "Listen, your sweatshirt is red. I'm calling you Red. We are running out of time. Do you want to find the bad guy or not?"

"Fine. For now. We'll come up with a better one later."

'Yeah, sure."

 **Hours later**

"Where's Zucco!" Batgirl and Red had a puggy, bolding, middle aged man tied to a chair in a warehouse they had tracked down as one of Tony Zucco's.

"I already told you he's dead. Jeeze. What are they training you crazy vigilantes at birth now?"

"You better not be lying to me!" Red growled, pulling the rope tighter.

"He's not." Batgirl turned as soon as she heard the familiar gritty sound of his voice.

She heard Tim gasp beside her. "Holy crap!"

"See! Even the Batman knows. Now that that's all cleared up. You want to get your psycho sidekicks away from me!"

"Who killed him?" Batgirl asked, turning back to the man.

"No one knows. Though Joe swears he saw an owl swoop in and slice his throught open. Who knows? Joe was a raving drunk after all."

 **A little while later**

"What the hell where you two thinking?"

"Oh, here we go again!" Batgirl sighed dramatically. "Can I sit down for this one? I've heard this speach already."

"Now your bringing a kid into this?" The Dark Knight accused.

"I didn't bring him into anything. He did this all on his own. I just wanted to make sure he didn't get himself killed."

Red folded his arms and looked at Batgirl. "So you do know the Batman."

"Does anyone really?"

Tim turned to Batman. "Can I just ask you a question?" _Because when the hell else am I ever going to get this opertunity again?_ Batman didn't respond. But he didn't say no so Tim took it as a yes. "Why have you never had a partner, or Sidekick, or whatever you want to call it?'

"I work alone." He answered simply.

"But why? Being alone. It's not good. Excuse me for saying this but you seem so angry and brash and, reckless. Like you don't even care what happens to you. And what if something does? Who will be there to take your place when you are gone? What would Gotham be without Batman?"

"What's your point?"

"Am I not explaining this right?" He asked turning back to Batgirl.

"He's dense." She answered, sitting on a crate with her elbow on her knee and her chin in her hand.

"Why were you looking for Zucco?" Batman asked, evading the questions.

"Because he killed my friends parents and maybe even my friend."

"Who was your friend?"

"His name was Dick."

Batman frowned. "You knew Dick Grayson?"

Tim was taken back a bit by how quick Batman had cought on. He got the feeling he'd already known everything. "Well...not really. I met him once. It was that same day his parents died and he dissappeared."

"So because you met someone once and saw their parents die, you have a vendetta against their killer? Kid, I have spent years down this road. It's a dead end."

Batgirl perked up. "You were looking for Zucco? Why?"

"I was there that day also."

Tim ran towards him. "And you didn't stop it! Couldn't of at least saved Dick!"

"Wow there hot stuff." Batgirl said, leaping from her perch to hold Tim back.

Batman didn't budge. "I didn't know until it was too late."

Tim calmed down a bit and after a moment Batgirl let him go. "And I wasn't just doing this for Dick, because he can't. I'm doing this because of you. You inspire...all of us. To be more than what we are. To not be afraid of the darkness and cower away from it but to fight it. To think that we even can fight it. Don't you know that? Do you not know the hope you have brought to this broken city?"

Batman stood there, silent. Was he brooding? Angry? Sad? Had anything Tim just said made any impact on him? "Go home kid." His voice sounded softer. He looked at Batgirl. "Make sure you get your self and him home safe." Before either one of them could even take their next breath, he was gone.

* * *

 **About A Year Ago**

Bruce had found the young boy in the gym he had set up for when guests came over. To show them where he worked out. It was a large space, with all the typical workout equipment one would expect in a billionaires gym. No one ever really went inside, so no one could tell that most of the equipment in there hadn't ever been touched. Even if they had, he was rich, most things are just for show anyway.

Every machine was being used by the boy now and not in the way they were ment to be. The dark haired boy was jumping across the tops of the panels on the many treadmills. Swinging from the polls of the bench press and anything else that had any kind of hight.

"I'm coming for you, you basturd scum!" The young boy shouted. Pointing his sword at one of the punching bags he had drawn a face on. He made his way to it, jumping and weaving and flipping over and under the menny obstacles that where in his way. He pounced on the red bag full of sand, logging his sword deep inside. It slide through the lether like it was butter and all the sand came pouring out of it and made a pile on the mat. Now if this was any normal kid he'd had probably started playing in it. But Damian wasn't a normal kid. He was the grandson of the Demon. The unexpected " _love"_ child, on Bruces side, between him and Talia Al' Ghul. A bomb she had decided to drop on him and then dissappear.

Alfred paused next to Bruce, still silently watching the young boy. "I know you do not want to hear this Sir, but if you do not let that boy out soon, he will destroy this whole Manor and I'm getting old." The old butler sighed deeply as Damian jabbed his sword into another sand bag.

"What am I supposed to do with him Alfred? He is too dangerous to be around kids his own age."

"I know im going to regret saying this. Maybe you are not quite the right person for the job? The boy is very skilled. Skills that might not be good for everyday life? But for a curtain caped crusaders night life, those skills could be very useful."

"We have already discussed this Alfred. With everything the boy has been through. He needs a normal life."

"For him. It would be normal."

Bruces lips were tightly pressed together in a frown.

"Master Bruce, if I may? You are not getting any younger and you can not keep doing this by yourself."

"I'm not. I have you Alfred."

"For now. I will not always be here. You need someone. Someone you could teach and maybe one day pass the torch to. You said Gotham will always need Batman. Gotham will still be here even long after you are gone. Will Batman?"

* * *

 **Now**

"Thanks Gordon, but I really don't need a police escort. Save your men for the people." Bruce had been sitting at his desk, finishing up some paperwork when his assistant came in and told him that Commissioner Gordon was outside. He had started protesting before the man had even made it all the way inside his office.

"Well that is all fine and dandy but your board dosn't seem to agree. Believe me. I got the least amount of men as possible. Just little old me and three others."

The, not as young as he used to be, CEO took a deep breath. "Fine. We should go now. Before it gets too crazy out there."

"I agree."

They walked out of his office and his normal team of staff flanked them the whole way down to the front doors. The Commissioner breefing him on the plan they had laid out.

"Mr. Wayne. Captain Gordon." The Door Man greeted once they had reached the entrence and both glass door swong open.

"I'm Batman!" A young tall cop with red hair was saying.

"I'm Batman!" A much shorter cop copied.

Bruce smiled to himself. _I'm Batman!_ He Imagend saying, just to see their reactions.

The two cops faces turned bright red as soon as they saw him and Gordon step out. They straightened up.

"Jinkens. Fryer." He said with a smile.

"Mr. Wayne." They greeted at the same time.

"Bruce, this is John Richards." He turned to the young cop standing on the other side. He lifted his arm to shake his hand.

The young, raven haird, blue eyed, man froze. And in that moment he had looked just like the boy Bruce saw in his memories from over a decade ago. It was the face of a boy who had just lost his parents. Bruce had known for a while but now all his suspicions where cemented. After almost twelve years, he had finally found Richard John Grayson.

* * *

 ***Note To Reader***

 **Oh my gosh guys! I know, this was SOOOO long. Over 4000 words! I was surprised when I saw that too. As you can see, this was a little look into what has been going on with some of the rest of the Bat-family in this little alternat universe I have created. How much has their storys changed. How much have they stayed the same. This all started off with world building notes until it became practically it's own story. (I thought about posting this as something separate. I still might. So for now this is an official chapter.) But I felt it was necessary to get a better feel for the world and the people in it for later on, down the road. And I felt It was important t** **o take you guys with me a bit. After all, the DC Universe has so much material to take from. I have seen and read so much and yet, the further I get into this, there is still so much I haven't even touched yet.**

 **But thank you guys SOOOO much for making it this far with me. I really appreciate all the support! You have no idea. (And I am soooooooooooooo sorry for my horrible spelling and grammer! I try. Really, I do! I've just never been able to really get the hang of it. I appreciate the look outs. Keep them coming and I will try to do better.)**


	7. Exhale

Dick quickly composed his face, turning his surprised look into a kind smile. "Nice to meet you Mr. Wayne."

There was a look that flashed in Bruces eyes...did he recognize him as well? "Nice to meet you John."

"Excuse me? Mr. Wayne? I'd like to ask you a few questions about your plans to rebuild-" The blond reporter had started to ask, walking right up behind Bruce.

"I'm sorry Miss, but Mr. Wayne is on a tight schedule right now and we have to be going." John interrupted, stepping in between the reporter and Bruce. "Let's go." He walked right past her without another word.

She tried to get to Bruce one more time but Fryer, falling into position, stepped in her way.

"Sorry Miss?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

She cought on quick. "Not a chance buddy."

He shrugged his sholders. "Oh well. Your loss." He acted as if he was throwing his hair over his sholder. "You couldn't handle me any way." And he continued to saunter off with the rest of the small group.

The crowds lining the street were getting thicker and thicker over the short amount of time it was tacking them to get to the float Bruce was going to be standing on.

"And we didn't take the Cruiser because?" John heard Fryer ask as they pushed through a particularly thick part of the crowed, mostly because people were trying to get to Bruce Wayne.

Gordon gave the back of Bruces head a look.

"Rich people!" Fryer grunted under his breath.

Suddenly John stopped and moved to make sure he was standing directly infront of Bruce.

'What is it Richards?" Gordon asked.

"Do you hear that?" There was some kind of commotion only feet infront of them.

"You said you'd love me forever. You _Promised!_ For better or _worst!_ That was the vow. Why Lisa? Why are you breaking it?!" John could just see a man through the crowd as the people around him started to back away. He was holding a gun in one hand and a woman in the other.

"Please George! Your hurting me!" The woman cried out.

"No. I won't let you go. Not this time! Why did you abandone me to rot in that place?"

"George, your sick. I didn't abandon you. You needed help! Shillas death was hard on both of us! I'm sorry I wasn't there. I didn't see what you saw!"

"John, no! We have to stay with Mr. Wayne. I already called-John!" It was too late. John was already pushing his way throught the crowd as Gordon tried to call him back.

"Move! GCPD. Get out of the way." He said in a calm but authoritative voice. "Sir. Just put the gun down." He told the man once he was close enough. He held one hand up and placed his other hand on his gun but kept it in it's holster.

George held his wife tighter. "No. She's mine! You can't have her! She's mine! Mine!" He started to repeat the word, in the same tone, over and over again like a broken record.

"Sir. Just calm down." John took another step closer.

"No! STOP! STOP!" He started to repeat.

"What the hell is wrong with this guy?" Jinkens asked, coming up just behind John.

"I have no idea."

George started to scream. He let go of Lisa and Jinkens motioned for her to come to him. The crazed man dropped to his knees, holding his head. Blood started to pour out of his eyes. "No please! Stop!" He screamed.

"John don't!" Jinkens called as John walked up to the guy.

George grabbed him. "Please! They lied to me! Don't trust them! They lie. They always lie." He let John go. "Don't trust them." Before John could ask who, the man lifted the gun to his head and pulled the trigger.

John backed away as blood splattered everywhere. He saw George"s chest move as if he was taking a breath but instead of air coming out of his mouth, it was gray smoke.

"Everybody back away!" He comanded. He watched the smoke continue to travel out. As it did it got darker and thicker. John took a step closer.

"Are you crazy?" Jinkens yelled.

He noticed something. It was hard to see at first. As the smoke drifted back down onto the man's skin, it started to burn it's way through him.

"Oh shit!" John turned on the spot and started to run, pushing people back with him. He looked at Jinkens. "Get everyone out of here. It's some kind of poison or acid. It's eating right through him!" People started to scream and run all around. Luckily the wind was blowing the smoke away from where John was. Not so lucky for the people on the otherside, where screams of panic quickly turned into screams of pain.

'It burns!" One guy shouted, running through the now black smoke. He grabbed Jinkens vest but John quickly pulled him off by his sweatshirt. He fell to the ground. His chest moved and then the smoke started spewing out of his mouth.

"Daddy!" A little girl in brown pigtails yelled, running towards the man. John went to move to stop her but before he could, a man in a black cape seemed to fly down from out of nowhere and landed infront of her. "Daddy. I need my daddy! Help him Batman. Please help him." The little girl asked in a panic from somewhere behind him.

Batman picked his arm up to cover his face with his cape and took a step forward.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. It will eat right through even your cape. Unless you got our note and used that vile we gave you?" Everyone looked up to see a woman covered from head to toe in a black suit standing next to a shorter male. The girl had a dark purple bat on her chest while the male had a red R on his upper arm.

"What are you doing here?" Batman growled.

"Saving your ass. _Again._ " The woman said. "Everyone stand back. Red...now!"

The male lifted his hand up, in it was some kind of long round remote. He pressed the button on the top of it with his thumb. Some kind of liquid started to rain down on the street.

John looked up. The liquid was being sprayed by multiple droids hovering directly over various sources of the smoke. Which had become quite a few in a short amount of time.

"Daddy!" The little girl called. Running up to her father before anyone could stop her.

Batman looked at a cop accusingly. "You told me you had her."

"Im..I'm sorry. She just took off. I - I'm." He'd started to stutter.

"No. Don't touch him!' John said sternly, jogging towards the girl but it was too late. She had bent down next to him and placed her hand on his burnt cheek. She started to scream. John grabbed her and lifted her into his arms.

"Let me see?" He asked as gently as he could, taking the girls hand in his. It was completely burnt.

She continued to scream and started to thrash as John tried to take her to one of the paramedics as they started arriving on the scene. "Daddy. You need to help my daddy!"

John tried to comfort her the best he could without telling the little girl that is was too late but not wanting to completely lie to her either. Somehow he calmed her enough for the parametric to take over.

He walked up to Batman talking with Gordon and the other two masked heros.

"I coated these in a special cocktail of liquids and oils. They are made to keep out ninety percent of toxins...that I know about. Including Joker gas." The girl wearing the purple bat symbol was saying.

'Where did you get the antidote?" Batman asked.

 _Why did he never sound happy. These two just saved our asses._ John thought to himself.

"In the same warehouse we found traces of the toxin." The male answered, sounding much younger then John was expecting.

"How did you know that it would work?" John asked.

"We ran a bunch of tests. It wasn't even originally an antidote. It seemed to be another version of the toxin. It was rejected I guess. There were a whole bunch just sitting there." The boy answered again.

"How did you even know about any of this?" Gordon asked.

"We were on patrol, fallowing a lead. We ended up at the docs were they were, I guess testing the toxin on a small group of workers? They had injected one. He started going crazy. He killed half the group before he died and the smoke started spreading. It ended up killing everyone there. Including the ones running the experiment. By the time the smoke had cleared and we had thought it was safe enough to scope out the aria, everything was gone. There was no trace of anyone or that anything had even happened."

"That's when we had started surching the aria. It took us a few nights but we had finally found that warehouse. We took whatever we could get our hands on and just started from there." The woman continued.

If Gordons eyes where daggers, they would have cut right through the both of them. "Why have I never heard of this? Why did you guys not contact anyone?"

She gave him a look. "We did. We spoke to someone at the GCPD. We even sent a few samples."

"No one reported anything to me."Gordon growled. "Who did you talk with?"

"It was a woman named Cat."

Gordon turned away from the group, quickly dialing a number on his phone and than proceeded to scream into it.

"What?" John asked. The one wearing the dark red R was just standing there, staring at him.

"Um. Nothing." He replied and turned to Batman, who was no longer there. "Where'd he go?"

"He's gone." She answerd simply.

"I hate it when he does that."

"Well, your story checks out. Guess I will be dealing with some people once I get back to the precinct." Gordon said, walking back to the group. "Guess Batman took off."

"In his normal fashon." She answerd.

"Typical."

"Hey. Where's Bruce Wayne?" John asked, suddenly remembering that they had been guarding someone before this all had happened.

"Fryer was with him."

"Well he's not now." John said, watching Fryer jog up to the group, holding an icepack to his face.

"Where the hell is Bruce Wayne?" Gordon growled.

"I had him and then someone punched me in the face. I must have blacked out for a second. Someone had picked me up off the floor before I got trampled on and he was gone. I'm okay by the way. Thanks for asking."

"Looking for me?" They all turned around and there was Bruce. Just standing there with his hands in his pockets, as if he had been standing there the whole time. He was looking a bit disheveled but otherwise okay.

"You alright?" Gordon asked.

"Fit as a fiddle. You guys okay?"

"Other then almost being burnt to death? We are just peachy." John replied.

"Were there any reports of that smoke in any other part of the city Commissioner Gordon?"

"No Sir."

"That's good at least. Would you mind driving me downtown so I can get my son? The car that was driving him to our float is stuck where they are, due to the quarantine."

"No problem. Fryer. Let's go. I'll take you to the hospital aswell. John, stay here with Jinkens. Get as many statements as you can. Bullock is on his way."

"Yeah, alright. See you later Richards. Batgirl. Like the new look." He said with a smile. "Redbird." He noded twards the kid.

"Red Robin." He corrected, sounding annoyed.

"Yeah yeah. That's what I said. I'm concussed. Leave me alone. Thanks for the save." He said fallowing Gordon as they dissappeared into the crowed

Dick was looking at the kid. Well, he was probably a teenager.

"What?" Red Robin asked.

"Were did you get that name?" He asked without really thinking.

"I don't know. It has to do with a dream I had once about a friend of mine. It just kind of stuck with me."

"What happen to your friend?" He asked slowly.

Red Robin paused for a moment before he answered. "No one knows...He dissappeared."

"We should go." Batgirl inturopted.

He looked at her for a moment. "Okay." He turned back to John. "See you around I guess."

"Sure."

* * *

"And then the Batman swooped in and the little girl was all, _save my dad Batman!_ " He said in a squeaky tone. "Than Batman was all, _Don't worry little girl. I'm Batman!_ " He grunted, sounding less like Batman then Fryer or Jinkens had. "And then the Batbabe came in and was all like-" slightly less sqeeky, _trying_ to sound more sultry. " _I've got this boys. Step aside._ Hey! I saw you talking to her. Do you know her? Think you could get me her number?"

He had sat there for a moment, just staring at the young man. He was older then he looked. Older then he acted really. He had on a baggy bright yellow sweatshirt with black lettering and big purple headphones around his neck. His dark red hair was curly and all over the place. "No." John answered.

"No, you don't know her? Or no on the number?"

He took a deep breath. "Didn't you say you saw something?"

He squinted his eyes in confusion. "Um?"

"About the guy? With the smoke coming out of his mouth? Before he had grabbed his wife? You said you saw something?"

"Uh..."

John retracted the pen he was holding by slamming it aganst the pad he was righting on. "Alright. Well, thanks for your statment. I'll put it with the rest and we will call you if we need anymore information." John started to walk away.

"Can you let me know if you get Batgirls number? Or just give her mine. Tell her she can call me whenever! Kay. Thanks!" He called after him.

That's when John saw the man in a black suit. His face was covered by a white owl mask. He dissappeared into the shadows as soon as they made eye contact.

 _What are you doing here? Do you know anything about what just happened?_ He wanted to ask as soon as he turned the corner and through an open door that led him into an empty pawn shop. The blinds had been shut, so no one could see them.

Without a word, he handed Gray a folder.

He took it with a nod and the owl masked man turned and walked away. He opened the folder. The entire page was blank except for one word written in black glossy calligraphy.

 _Batgirl_.

He flipped to the next page and there was another.

 _Red Robin._

* * *

 ***Not to Reader***

 **dun dun dunnnnnn! (Bit dramatic.) What does that mean? You ask. Guess you'll have to wait and find out.**

 **What is this toxin that is burning through people? Who made it? Good question!**

 **Will that crazy redhead ever get Batgirls Number? ...**

 **OMG! There is so much going on inside of my head! So. Many. Ideas. It's all there. It's just sorting it all out. Slowly. You know, in a way that makes sense and is entertaining to you guys.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! More to come!**

 **(And don't worry. I haven't forgot about Batman Legacy.)**


	8. The Big One

_Breaking News! The Exhale virus that infected dozens of people over two weeks ago, took another life today. Anna Colman died this morning in Gotham general where many other patients in her same situation are still waiting, in medically induced comas, for a final cure._

"She's the third one this week." Tim said saddly, hitting the mute button.

"I know. No matter how many times I mix this formula, all it does is stop the smoke from spraying out of the mouth. But the virus is still eating them from the inside. I can slow it down but nothing seems to stop it. _Damn it!_ What am I missing?" Barbara exclamed, watching another one of her virtual rats get eaten up from the inside out.

"Where are you going?" He asked as she got up and walked to the back doors of the van.

"I need some air. Watch the van."

* * *

 _Aaaand he's gone. Where'd he go? Nope, not there. *sigh* I lost him. Get it together Gray! Your really losing it._ He was perched on top of the roof of a brownstone. Scanning the area around him as best he could but Batman was nowhere to be found. He had been running down a lead on the toxin _Exhale,_ that's what the papers were calling it. Gray was honestly curious about the drug and how it worked. He'd spent most of the day in the labs of Wayne Industries with the techs from the lab and the GCPD. Bruce said he was more than happy to open up his resources to help them find out more about the drug. Batgirl and Red Robin had also given them more samples of the _Cure_ they had made. But none of it seemed to be enough. He should have been mad that he had lost his target, again, but he was more upset about the fact that Batman could find out crusial information about the drug and he wouldn't be there to hear it.

"Get it together Gordon! You'll figure it out. Just stop and think. There has to be something you saw or heard...damn." He looked down and saw Barbra Gordon, the Commissioners daughter, walking along the sidewalk infront of the diner that was across the street.

'What is she doing?" He thought out loud. He pressed the side of his mask and the recently modified goggles he was wearing zoomed in on her phone. Her screen was displaying an algorithm. The computer, he also recently added, in his mask picked out key codes as they ran up and down her screen. _She's running a virtual test. Trying to figure out a cure for Exhale._

He fell back and using the fire escape, speedily made his way down to the street. He quickly changed out of his Talon uniform and into street clothes. He made his way across the street and stood in her path. She was so consumed by the contents on her phone, he knew she would run right into him.

"Umph! Oh, I am so sorr-" she started to say after she bounced off of him. He grabbed her by the sholders before she could fall back. "Oh. It's just you Rookie."

"I have a name you know."

"I know." She looked down a his hand and then back up at him. He got the hint and let her go.

"You know. This running into me. It's becoming a habit. Might start to think you are doing it on purpose."

"Happen a lot to you? Maybe it is because you're creepy quiet. "

He smirked. "Nope. It's just you."

She folded her arms, sliding her phone into an inside pocket of her jacket as she did so. "Maybe _you_ are doing it on purpose."

"Maybe I am." He answered. She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the pink spreading across her cheeks. 'Hey. You hungry? I was just about to get something to eat. Wanna join me?"

She sat there for a moment, bitting her lip. "Why not."

He opened the door. "Lady's first."

"Sasha! Customers!" I guy yelled from inside the kitchen. "Pick whatever table you guys want. Be with you shortly." He said to them, leaning on the long kitchen window. "Sasha!" He screamed again before dissappearing.

"What!" A female voice called back, sounding annoyed. A few seconds later she stumbled out the door, as if someone had pushed her. She walked up to the booth they had chosen. "Hey dollys. What would you guys like?"

"I'll just have some water." Barbra answerd, taking out her phone.

"What? Water? But they have the world's best shakes!" John gasped.

"Oh really?" Barbra asked, not sounding impressed as she stared at her screen.

"Yeah. It says it right here." He held up a drink menu and pointed at it. "See? Worlds best shakes. I'll have _The Big One._ "

"What flavor would you like deary?" The waitress asked scratching the side of her platinum blond beehive bun.

"Hummm?" He pondered, stroking his chin and looking at Barbra.

She looked up at him after a moment and just shrugged. "It's your shake."

"Got pistachio?"

"Yup. Toppings?" The waitress asked. She looked away from her pad. "You look like _The Works_ kind of guy." She said with a wink.

"Sounds good." He agreed.

"Okay. Be right back."

Babs kept fumbling with her phone while she talked and not looking at him. "Wow. The _Works._ Your really searious about that shake."

He reached for her phone and snatched it out of her hand. "Go big or go home." He placed it on the table between them and then folded his hands in his lap. She watched him as she placed her hand on the table. She slowly started to slide her hand towards her phone. He raised his eyebrow in a silent challenge.

She paused. "Will you even be able to make it home?"

He leand in, placing his arms on the table and interlocking his fingers. "This ain't my first rodeo madom. You just watch."

"As long as I don't have to watch you throw it back up." She made a face. "Pistachio?"

"Pistachio ice cream is A-maz-ing."

"If you say so." She sighed, falling back into the seat.

"I do." He said with a satisfied look on his face and leaned back aswell.

The waitress came over with a shake in a glass cup that was bigger than her face "Here, ya go, dollys. Enjoy." She grunted while putting it down. She took two big straws out of her apron and then walked away.

Babs eyes went wide. "Wow!"

"I know!"

"Is that a shake or a whole candy shop? It has like, every topping in existence."

"I like how the fudge is the glue holding it all together. Sure you don't want in on some of this?"

She leand in. "Afraid you won't be able to finish it by yourself? Thus, letting me down."

"Not at all." Without taking his eyes off her, he picked up a straw and unwrapped it by banging one end against the table once. He shoved the straw into a hole in the toppings. "Wow. So good. No, really. It's actually better then I thought." He said after taking one long sip.

"O my god. Fine. Give me that straw." He watched her intently as she took a sip.

"Good right?" He said with a smile

"You have issues." She took another sip.

"Gonna leave some for me?"

 **An Entire Milkshake Later**

"No. No more." She cried, shoving the spoon he had in his hand away.

"It's the last one. Look at all this fudge."

"You eat it." She demanded, holding her stomach.

He did and then sat back, looking content.

"You are not human. How is your stomach not killing you?"

"I could go for a burger." He placed his hand on a menu in the condiments holder.

"If I see you put one more thing in your mouth. I think I will throw up." She dissappeared behind the table as she fell aganst the cushion of the long bench.

"Going into a food coma?" He asked with amusement.

"I think so. Tell my father that it was all your fault."

"I'll let him know."

She lied there for a few more minutes moaning. "I hate you."

He was now reading the menu. "Seariously, these burgers look really good. Ooo, the Gotham Goliath! _or,_ Underground Sewer. Says it's got everything but the kitchen sink."

"Please stop!"

"How about...The G.C.P.D. Ground beef patty. Chicken saled, house special. Hot peppers and...dates?"

'Eww. Why?"

"The Batman? Wonder if it comes with a side of brooding?"

"Wouldn't be _the Batman_ without it."

Her phone rang were it still laid in the middle of the table. "Who's T man? Your boyfriend?" He asked, reading the name on the screan.

She shot up and grabbed it. "More like a pesky brother. Hold on. I'll be right back." She got up from the booth, stepped outside and dissappeared behind the building.

He quickly got up to fallow her. He found her in the alley between the back of the diner and a brownstone. He just cought the tail end of her conversation. "Got it. I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up and started to make her way back to the front of the diner. John slipped through a back door and ended up in the kitchen. He started to make his way out into the hallway when he almost walked into the waitress that was tacking care of them. "Sorry. I was looking for the bathroom." She pointed to the door at the end of the hall that had a big sign on it that read 'Restrooms'. "Right. Thanks." He waited for her to walk into the kitchen before he made his way back to the dinning aria.

Barbra was standing at their booth looking like she was about to leave. "Hey!" He called. "Sorry. Just went to the bathroom."

"That's fine. I'm sorry to bail on you but something came up. I have to go."

He walked up to where she was standing infront of the table. "That's alright. It is late though. You shouldn't be walking by yourself. And I'm not just saying that because you are a girl. This is Gotham. No one should be walking the streets alone. Let me at least make sure you get there safe."

"Really, it's okay. My appartment is just down the road. This is Burnside. It's not exactly crime alley. And I am a black belt. I think I can handle myself."

He took a step closer to her. "Still. Your father would kill me if he ever found out I let you walk home alone. Not that I am going to."

She took a deap breath. "Fine. Let's go."

"Well. This is it." She said when they arrived at the front door of her building. She had taken out her keys but were just holding them in her hand.

He didn't move."Well, I'll wait till you get inside."

She tried to hide her impatiens with a smile. "Thanks for walking me home. I guess I'll see you around."

"I will definitely be around." He said with a grin.

Her smile turned genuine. "I really did have fun tonight. I've been so consumed with everything, I didn't realize how much I needed a break. Thanks for that."

"I know what you mean. Been going a little crazy myself with everything that is going on." He took a deep breath and sighed. "All these people and their families. I just wish we could find a cure for this stupid virus already!" He was usually pretty good at figuring things out. Why wasn't he getting this one?

He was looking off into the distance, consumed by his fustration, so he hadn't seen it coming when she placed her hand on his sholder and kissed him on the cheek. "We will." She said looking into his eyes. There was a determination in hers.

What was this feeling he suddenly felt in his stomach. Hunger? (Even though he had just ate an ice cream shop) Excitment? Nausea? (That seemed more likely) Whatever it was, it needed to go away. It was making it very hard for him to concentrate.

"I think you should go inside." He suddenly blurted out, sounding harsher then he ment to.

The light that had been in her eyes died a bit. "Yea. Goodnight John."

"Goodnight Barbra."

She turned away from him to unlock her door and stepped inside. Once the door closed and he heard the sound of it locking, he made his way down the street until he knew he was out of sight. He looked at his phone. * _Synic Incomplete* '_ "Damn!"

He had climbed up a fire escape and was now sitting on the roof directly above Barbra's appartment, back in his modified Talon uniform. He only had to wait a few more minutes until she stepped back out the door and made her way into the white van that was parked outside. He had tried to hack into the vans systems, since hacking into her phone didn't work, so he could hear what was going on inside but something was jamming his signal. No matter how advanced his tech was, hers seemed to be better.

A call came in over the police scanner he built into his suit. He was just going to ignore it until he heard the engine start up in the van and it took off down the road.

He promptly fallowed it by running and jumping along the rooftops of the buildings.

He chased the van down all the way to the Docks were it stopped under a bridge and out of sight from anyone on the street or by the shore. The back doors swung open and out came Batgirl and Red Robin in their coated black suits.

"Got cha." He fallowed them from the shadows as they made their way to the water and on to a boat. He could see the lights from the police cars on the otherside of the river.

"So you did get my call. You hadn't responded." Of course they were meeting Batman. Who else?

"We needed time to get over the shock that _you_ had actually reached out to _us_." Batgirl responded.

"Yea, well. Don't get used to it."

"We won't." They replied at the same time.

"So? What cha got?" Red Robin asked.

"Nothing much, yet. The police got an anonymous tip to head over to the docks. Said it had something to do with the virus."

Batgirl put her hand on her hip. "You do relies I have a police scanner? Tell me something I don't know."

"Two months ago to the day I was staked out here watching some goons load a boat up with boxes. When I was able to apprehend some of the goons and stop the shipment, I found a box full of vials. When I ran tests on the liquid inside them, I found traces of the Tech virus. It had been watered down and warped to look like something else, a pain killer of sorts. They where planning on shipping it off to hospitals all over the country."

"You found traces of that same liquid in Exhale. Well that explains alot." Batgirl responded.

"It's more potent in Exhale. I think what I had found was an earlier version. One that was ment to slowly seep in over time, undetected. Slowly driving people mad."

Red Robin snorted without humor. "Definitely sounds like Hatter."

"I also had found something else aswell. Hints of the fear toxin Scarecrow uses."

"I don't even want to think what those two could do working together. They are two sides of the same insane coin."

"That's the thing. I don't know if they are. Or if someone is just trying to make it look that way. The henchmen had no idea who they were working for."

"Who would do that though? Most of the bad guys in this city can't wait to leave their mark." Batgirl wondered aloud.

"Who ever it is, they're not done yet. It really could be anyone." Red Robin replied.

There was an explosion across the river. Gun shots were fired.

"That's our cue." Batman growled.

Batgirl stops him. "Wait? Your not going to tell us to stay here?"

"Those suits still work, right?"

"Yea."

Batman secured a black breathing mask, that covered the entire bottom of his face, to his own."

"We tried filters in out tests. They didn't work." Red Robin told him.

"This one will. Now go!"

Gray watched them as they made their way to the otherside of the river. He fallowed close behind until he saw the black smoke. It was coming out of one of the cops. Gray tried to keep his distance, he had no protection. He could hear fighting and gunshots but couldn't see anything. The smoke was too thick and it just kept spreading.

"Help me!" Someone cried. The voice came from right behind him.

He spun around, it was Jinkens. He was bleeding, he'd been shot.

"Jinkens!" He fell and John cought him.

"I can't see. It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!" He started to scream over and over again.

"Calm down. You'll be fine, just hold on." He laid him on the floor and started to search for the location of the wound so he could stop the bleeding.

"No. I won't." Jinkens said calmly. "You're taking too long."

"There's so much blood. But I can still stop the bleeding. I can hear the parametrics. You'll be fine"

"You brought this on yourself Richard." He coughed once. A puff of smoke came out of his mouth and hit John in the face.

He jumped up and shoved Jinkens away as another puff of smoke came out and became a long stream that turned black and started to fill the air.

He got to his feet and started to run but he couldn't see anything. Everything was black. He ripped his mask off, it had started to burn. Something grabbed him. A clawed hand wrapped itself around his middle and yanked him back. He thrashed out, hitting whatever was holding him but it didn't work, it's grip was too strong. It threw him to the ground, his back hit the floor hard. He looked up into glowing red eyes. He couldn't hear his own screams, though he knew that he must have been screaming because he could feel it ripping through his throught.

The clawed hand rose up and expanded its wings. That's when he saw two other pairs of red eyes flanking the one holding him down. An ear piercing roar filled his ears as the hand came down hard on him and he saw nothing more.


	9. I Know Who You Are

_The crowd cheered as the ringleader announced the next act. Dick stood on the tips of his toes, ready to jump as soon as he got the cue. There was not a nervous bone in his body. He had done the routine so many times, he was currently doing it in his sleep. There was the cue, he ran out into the spotlight and basked in it's glory. The music started to play and he was on the platform, fifteen feet high, ready to jump. He pulled back and then launched himself forward. The roar of the crowd filled his ears as he flew through the air. He let go of the bar and did one tumble befor straightening up and throwing his arms out for his father to catch him. His father wasn't there. He saw a man standing on the platform infront of him. He was holding a knife in one hand and the bar of his fathers swing in the other. The strings had been cut. "Thanks for not saying anything kid."_

 _He looked down to see his parents body's broken on the floor as he fell towards them. The world turned dark._

 _He landed with a splash. As the water slowed his decend, he wiggled around trying to figure out which way was up. His head finally broke through the surface and he took one long, deep breath. He started to swim through the blackness until his feet touched ground. He fell aganst the smooth hard surface. He heard the hoot of an owl off in the distance. It was fallowed by another and another, until the sound filled the air. He couldn't see them but he could feel the sharpness of their claws as they sliced through his skin, shredding up his costume until he was completely naked._

 _"I have no identity. I have no purpose."_

 _"You are the Gray Son. Your purpose is to carry out our own. You are apart of us and we apart of you. We are your will. You are our way. Now wake up. It is time to fulfill your destiny."_

 _..._

He opened his eyes. Everything was a blur of lights and shadows, as the entire world spun around him. He tried to get up but it just made everything worse. His body hurt. From the top of his head to the tips of his toes. He burned, like someone had poured hot oil all over him. A black cloud started to seep in, casting everything above him in shadow and with it, came the pair of red eyes. It's clawed hands held him down as it's roar filled his ears. It opened it's wings wide to reveal a ribcage. Inside the ribcage was a smaller pair of red eyes. He noticed another pair off to the side, another pair above that one and then one more. He continued to stare at the one that was placed right were the heart should be. That's when he realized he was staring at a bird. All the other birds started chirping. The sounds they made were distorted and unnatural. They were now flying frantically around the cage. Exept for the one at the heart, it just continued to stare straight at him, through him. It was inside him, or was he inside it? It's red breast puffed up and it's wings expanded, the feathers were a yellow color underneath. It called him in and just as the Robin was about to take flight, the bat closed it's wings and the shadow consumed him.

* * *

He could hear the steady beeping of a heart monitor...as well as a gentle tap that seemed to go in time with it.

"You think he's awake?" The voice was young and raspy, and right next to him.

"Da-." He cut himself off. "Stop that!" A slightly older and familiar voice comanded, somewhere in the distance.

"What? He's in a coma. Not like he can feel it." The tapping quickend.

"He's not in a coma. Stop poking him! Go back upstairs. You know your father will kill you if he finds you down here."

"You can not tell me what to do. Just as father could not keep me from the cave."

"You wanna bet you little brat?" He heard the chair the older boy must have been sitting on groan. He was getting up.

"I am the hair of the Demon, you are beneath me. I do not take orders from peasants." The younger boy said, unfazed.

"I'll give you peasant you little demon sh-."

Someone cleared their throat. "Master-"

"I should have a code name!" The young boy interrupted immediately.

"How about, demon spawn?" The older boy mumbled.

'Yes! I like it. PW, you will address me as Demon Spawn from now on."

Someone suppressed a laugh.

"Master Demon Spawn, It is time for your bath." The man who had cleard his voice continued. He sounded much older then the other two.

Something hit him hard against the chest. "I am a skilfully trained assassin. We do not take baths!" The child demanded.

"You are also a...Batkid. They do." The older man said sounding board.

"I just took one on Saturday." Demon said as if that changed things. The tapping continued.

The other boy sounded nasily as he spoke. "Eww dude, it's Friday! Is that what that smell is?"

"Al Ghuls do not smell! We radiate."

"Your definitely radiating something alright."

The board old man spoke again. "Guess I went through all the trouble of finding Mr rubber ducky here for nothing."

The tapping paused. "General Goliath!"

He heard two sqeeks. "The very one."

The older boy snorted.

Demon Spawn growled. He heard the sound of quick steps running away from him and then a bang as something hit the floor. If he could guess, it was the older boy. "I can think of 52 ways to dispose of you using nothing but General Goliath, while keeping him whole. So all I have to do is simply wash your filth away while I take my bath!" A few seconds later the duck gave another sqeek. "Thank you PW, I will be upstairs in the master sweet."

"There is something seariously wrong with that kid, A." The older boy said, once the sound of the youngers steps dissappeared.

"He is a bit rough around the edges." The older man agreed.

"A bit? Around the edges?" The younger exclamed.

That is when he finally opened his eyes. He sat there for a moment, tacking in his strange surroundings. Was he underground?...or in some kind of lab?

"A! call Batman. Now!" The younger boy shouted.

He tried to get up but the restraints held him back. Red Robin apeared, standing above him. He was holding a needle. "Don't move."

"Were am I?" His voice came out rough.

"In a place no one will find you."

He started to look around him. There were two broken beds shoved in a corner on his right. He looked to his left. "Is that a T-Rex?"

"Apparently."

He moved his wrists around as he took in his surroundings, he couldn't see much from this angle.

"A majority of the virus should be flushed out of your system." Red informed.

He paused for a second. "Exhale? How? You found a cure?"

"No. You weren't infected with Exhale. Just a form of fear gas. A very potent form."

"But, Jinkens? The smoke, it came out of him and hit me in the face...I was burning."

"You weren't anywhere near the smoke. We found you on the shore, you were by yourself."

"What? So I'm not infected?"

"Not that we could see."

"Red Robin. Stop talking to him!" A familiar voice growled. Batman came up behind Red, looking like a menacing shadow. "Why were you fallowing us?"

"I wasn't."

"Yes, you were."

"No. I have been researching Exhale just like you. We found the same place."

"And before that? Don't think I haven't noticed you have been fallowing me for months. Why?!"

He smiled. "I knew it." _He'd always known exactly when to dissappear._

"Who are you working for?"

"I don't work for anyone."

'Stop playing games. I know who you are."

"Well, you seemed to have stripped me of my uniform so..." His arm broke free of the restraint. He smiled. "You want to know what I can do?" He jumped up, after easily breaking free of the rest, and launched himself at the two bodys, pushing them down. He did a flip over the railing and landed on his feet on the ground floor. They both jumped over the railing after him. He flipped out of the way. "You guys recover quickly. This should be fun."

They chased him all around the cave. Everytime they got close to grabbing him he would find a way to evade their grasp. Red Robin was on him now, fallowing his every move as he flipped and cartwheeled all around the T-rex. He jumped up and grabbed the railing. He flipped and landed on top of it. Red did the same. He wasn't as graceful, but he held his own. They started to run along the metal bar. "Hey. Your doing pretty good kid. Color be impressed."

Red didn't reply, he just ran harder.

Gray jumped and Red fallowed, landing on the level below. He looked around himself, not knowing where Gray went. Gray let go of the bottom rail he had grabbed onto, instead of dropping to the floor and fell on Red Robin.

They tumbled as Red tried to get above him but Gray ultimately landed on top. "Guess your not that good. Now let's see." He grabbed the top of the boys hood and ripped it off. "Ha! I know you...Tim. Am I right? Well look at you all grown up."

"Yes. Look at me." Tim answerd before Batman swooped down and knocked Gray out.

* * *

"Oh look. Dicks awake. Hey _Dick_." Tim greeted, faking excitment. He was sitting on the end of his bed, dressed in regular cloths.

"Hey buddy! How ya doing?" He replied, trying to match Tims tone but he was too drowsy.

"Don't even try it. We drugged you up nice and good." Tim said patting his ankle.

"Ahh. That explains the stars. Whait? Did you just call me Dick?" He laughed, a bit delusional.

"Well, that is your name. Richard John Grayson. Dick for short. You know, Grayson, of the Flying Graysons. A main attraction at Hayley's Circus. Where you lived with your parents, John and Mary. Who were killed by...what was his name?"

He felt something deep within his stomach, it started to rise. "Stop." He comanded.

"Tony Zoobo? Zoono? No, thats not it."

"I said stop."

"Ah, Zucco! That's it. Tony Zucco. Oh. Are you upset? Am I hitting a nerve? But you don't have feelings I thought? Just snide sarcasm." Dick tried to jump up but he didn't have any strangth. "You were my hero, you know. I convinced my parents to let me go to a circus camp and it took _a lot_ of convincing after what happened. I went for three summers. It was fun. I felt like I was keeping your spirit alive somehow, you know?"

"Guess you wasted your time, because here I am!" He tried to smile.

"I got to meet some of your friends during the many search party's we had for you. They went on and on about how fun and full of life you were. Your quick wit and your mischievous games. And your kindness. You were kind, to everyone. You stood up to bullies even though you were much smaller then they were because you knew you were smarter. Your goodness. You saw the worry on my parents faces and you made sure that they knew that I was fine...I wanted to be just like you..." He fell quiet.

"You know what they say? You should never meet your hero's, kid." He said softly.

"My hero died twelve years ago with his parents. You, your just an empty shell." Tim looked up but didn't look at Dick, instead he looked at something else that was next to Dick. Tims eyes were sad as he got up off the bed and walked away.

Dick turned to his right. There was a little table with a glass of water on it and leaning against the glass was a crinked old picture. His eyes started to sting as he stared at two out of the six people in the picture. He looked away and closed his eyes, but even behind his lids the smiling faces were still there.


	10. The Demons Apprentice

He couldn't move his legs. They were starting to tingle due to the presser that was currently cutting off the circulation of his blood. It was getting annoying.

"Will you get off me kid?" Dick asked, his eyes still closed.

"No." A young raspy voice answerd simply.

He opened his eyes and started to wiggle. "At lest move then? I can't feel my legs."

"Makes it that much harder for you to try and escape." The young boys eyes where green and fearce as they pressed down on him. He could feel something dull poking him in the neck. It was a wooden sword.

"And what do you plan on doing with that?"

"I pondered slicing your jugular while you slept. Would save father alot of hassle."

He smiled. "With a blunt wooden toy?"

The child clenched his teeth in anger. "Don't underestimate me." He pushed the tip harder into his neck. "This is not a toy. It is a wooden replica of Goujian. An ancient Chinese sword that defied time itself. Despite it being over two-thousand years old it gleams and is just as sharp as the day it had been forged."

"Ooo. Scary. Too bad its wooden twin is not as impressive."

"Who said it's all wood?" Demon Spawn took the sword away from Dicks neck and banged the hilt once hard against the bottom metal frame of the bed. When he brought the sword back up Dick could see the ends of a sharp blade just sticking out of the wooden blade. "I told you not to underestimate me."

He arched an eyebrow. 'Well, that's cool. Your father know you have a real sword hidden in your fake one?"

He pointed the tip of the sword twards Dicks neck once more. "My father knows what he needs to."

"I like you kid." Dick said with a toothy grin.

The boy spat through clenched teeth. "I'm not a kid! I'm the hair to The Demon. A highly skilled assassin. One day my grandfather will clens this world of its filth! And we will rule over the new world for eternity."

"Wow...that's ambitious."

"What's ambitious is you thinking that you could pull one over on my father. Why were you fallowing him? Who do you work for?"

"Your hilarious, you know that?"

The fearce boy lifted the the sharp blade and then brought it down on Dicks face, slicing his cheek. "This is not a game."

"Then let's make it one." He held his hand up revealing a sharp metal peace he had hidden away. He'd used it to cut the new restraints. He shoved the Demon Spawn off him. The kid rolled to his feet as soon as he had hit the floor. Dick jumped off the bed and immediately face planted. "Owe."

For a moment Demon was silent.

He looked up at the boy standing over him. There was not an ounce of humor on his face. "If the roles were reversed I'd be rolling around on the floor right now."

"But you are on the floor." He replied stating the obvious.

He sighed. "I mean, I would be laughing really hard."

"Why?"

"Because I just busted my ass."

"But I already knew you were going to fall because your legs were numb."

He sank into the floor. "Nevermind." He shot his arm out and wrapped his hand around the kids ankle and pulled. The boy fell to the floor and Dick pinned him down. 'Did you know that I was going to do that?"

"Get off me!" He growled.

"So you want answers huh?"

"Who are you?"

"You already know who I am. And guess what? I know who you are. And if I know who you are, Damian Wayne, I know who your father is. Both versions. Tim was right." He picked up Damians sword and held it over him. 'You should have listened to your father and stayed upstairs."

He felt something knock into him hard. He went flying into the bed frame. A hand wrapped itself tightly around his neck. "You stay away from my son!"

"We were...just. playing..a game." He said in between gasps.

Damian jumpt to his feet. "I had everything under control father."

'Damian, upstairs!" Batman comanded, staring Grayson down.

'But-"

" _Now!"_

Batmans hand got tighter around Dicks neck as he tried to speak. "See you...later kid. Ahh!"

He waited until Damian was gone to speak again. "You never answerd my question. Who do you work for? Why were you fallowing me?"

He swallowed hard. "That's...two questions."

" _Answer me._ " His words were a low grombl. You know, like the sound a volcano makes befor it erupts and destroys the whole village.

"Can't. Breath." Batman let go of his neck but kept him pinned with an arm across his chest. The bedframe dug painfully into his back, but he couldn't move. Not even an inch. Dick coughed and took a few breaths before answering. "I told you. I don't work for anyone."

"Who took you? Where have you been all these years?"

"A little bit of here. Little bit of there. You know." He shrugged his sholders casually.

"No. You have scars all over your body. Traces of hallucinogens and all kinds of narcotics in your blood. Someone did this to you. Abused you for years. Who?"

He laughed. "What? Your going to hunt them down and make them pay? Are you going to save me Bruce? Why? Because you couldn't save me twelve years ago? I bet it just eats you up inside. Does it keep you up at night? Watching some young helpless boy lose his parents just like you did, knowing there was nothing you could do about it?" He grabbed the top of Batmans mask and ripped it off his head. "Is that why you parade around Gotham in this ridiculous costume? So you can save people from experiencing the same pain you feel? Who are you kidding? You can't even save yourself from that night, your constant nightmare. How can you save me from mine?" Dick could see himself in the reflection of Bruces eyes. He was on the verge of falling apart.

Bruce stared at him for a long moment. Every inch of him screamed, dark, menacing, unhinged. He could see why his enemies where afraid of him. But his eyes. Dick knew that look all too well. "I can't." An alarm sounded.

A's voice came in over the comm system. "Sorry to intrude Sir, but there seems to be a situation downtown."

For a long time Bruce didn't answer, didn't move. He slowy picked up his mask and slipped it back on. "I'm on it A."

"Very good Sir."

He rose up, like a shadow rising as the sun goes down. He turned and started to walk away. "I'm going to link the cave computer up with the one upstairs. I'm putting the cave on lockdown. No one is allowed in or out until I get back. Is that understood?"

'Yes sir." A answerd promptly.

He waited for a moment. " _Damian?_ I know you are listening."

" _Yes_ father."

He turned back to look at Dick again, still slumped on the floor against the bedframe, rubbing his neck. After a moment Dick looked up. 'What?"

"Don't move." He growled.

"Yea, yea. Go save the world. Don't you worry your pretty little billionaire playboy head about me."

He moved so fast by the time Dick saw it it was too late. He felt a stinging in his shoulder. When he looked down he saw a dart sticking out. He tried to move his arm to take it out but he couldn't. Everything was going dark. "I mean it." Batmans voice ecoed through the tunnel of darkness closing in on him.

* * *

Dick still couldn't move. Though he could open them, he kept his eyes closed. His breaths where slow, deliberate. Batman had stumbled back into the cave all cut up and bruised about ten minutes ago. Dick had awoken about five minutes before that. He guessed Bruce had called Alfred on his way home because the butler had rushed down and started to set up the bed some feet away from him. Bruce was sitting there now while Alfred was patching him up.

"Alfred. It's like I'm seeing ghosts everywhere I turn. Everyone is coming back-errrr."

"Sorry Sir. Loged in a bit deeper then I had thought."

"I don't know what's happening..." he fell quiet. Though Dick couldn't see it, he could feel Bruces eyes on him.

"Sir, is it Mr. Grayson that is worrying you? Or this sudden resurfacing of that Red Hood gange?"

"It's just...Something is different this time. The leader. He's not acting like all the others that had come before him. The others, they robbed banks, jacked cars. This one. He's focused. He's got an agenda. He's taking down the Black Masks entire drug trade."

"Well, isn't that a good thing."

"It's not like he's exactly stopping the trade, he's taking over. People are turning up dead. First it was just the Heads. Now it's any goon, any small time criminal that seems to get in his way. He has to be stopped."

"Master Bruce, the way he has hurt you. These wepons."

"I know, they are familiar. The way he moves, the way he fights. He's been trained very well."

"He has." Alfred agreed.

He could hear Bruce take a long deep breath. "I think I need to talk to Damian."

 **Ten Minutes Later**

"You summoned me father?"

"Damian. I need you to look at something." Bruce told him. Dicks eyes were open now that Bruce and Alfred where sitting in front of the cave computer. They were so consumed by what was playing on the screen they wouldn't notice him anyway.

They played the video for Damian. "Huh. So the trader did make it out alive."

"Damian. You know this man."

The boy scoffed. "Yea, I know him. He was your replacement. He was one of my father's best puples. He had all of the skills and none of the morality. Though, he was a bit unhinged. Hard to controle at times. So much anger. Grandfather gave him everything. Offered him everything and he turned his back on him. Told him he didn't want it. When I had confronted him he all but spat in my face. He told me that I was the rightful hair to the Demon and that he didn't want the world, that I could have it. He just wanted to go home. He just wanted Gotham."

"Damian, who is he?"

"My mother, she would never tell me his real name but, she said you know him. That you two have a history. Something about Ethiopia."

"What? That's impossible...It can't be."


	11. Lockdown

"Master Bruce. Where do you think you are going?"

"Where do you think Alfred!" Bruce growled as he got up from the chair.

"Bruce. Not tonight. Your hurt. You need rest. He will still be in Gotham in the morning. From what you said, dosn't seem like he is going anywhere anytime soon." Bruce ignored the old butler, grabbing the top half of his uniform and yanking it on.

Damian lept up excitedly. "Father, let me go with you."

"No Damian." Bruce answerd simply, walking to the car.

"But I can help you."

"I said no Damian." He spat through clenched teeth.

Damian lept infront of the now open door of the Batmobil to cut his father off. "No, you listen! I know him. I know his fighting style. His weaknesses. I trained with him. I know exactly what Grandfather was grooming him to be. I know what he is capable of."

Bruce grabbed the boy by the collur, lifting him up into the air. Bringing his sons face only inches away from his own. "I know exactly what he is capable of." The deep growle in his voice. The ferocious waves of anger radiating off his body. Dick could only imagine the look in his eyes. It was to the kids credit that he was not completely falling apart underneath his father's gaze. But Dick could see the fear. The slightest of tremors running through Damians body. He would not speak, maybe he was afraid his voice might give it away. He was trained to never back down, they both were. They were mirror images of eachother.

Something in their standoff shifted at the same time, became softer. Maybe Bruce was seeing his past in his sons eyes. Damian seeing his future in his fathers. Finally, Dick had to look away. Unfortunately, he turned to the crumbled old picture and of course his eyes found his father's. He knew, at that moment, if his father where looking into his sons eyes, he would not see himself. Becomes Dick didn't see himself in his fathers.

Damian slowly continued, sounding a bit more tame. "He is not like you. He does not struggle with the morels you do. He will burn this city to the ground in order to _save_ it."

"Well, then I guess I'll just have to burn him first."

"Ttt. As if you would. As if you even could." There was a mocking in Damians voice. Dick knew the mistake the child had made the moment he heard the words come out of his mouth.

Dick shot up as fast as he could, not even registering that he hadn't been cuffed to the bed this time, but he had only gotten to his feet by the time Bruce had swung around and threw Damian into the computer consol.

Dick pounced and it was only by pure surprise that he was able to bring Bruce to the ground. Now with that element gone, he knew it was going to be impossible to keep him there. Bruce shot up, using the momentum to throw Dick off of him. But Dick recovered and they started to scrape and scramble at eachother. Neither one of them able to make much progress or get the upper hand. In this moment, looking into Bruces eyes, Dick knew that Damians last statement was completely wrong and Bruce had every intention of proving it. He also knew that one day, he would have to pay Alfred back for what the old man did next.

"I said that that is enough!" Alfred punched Bruce right in the face and before he could fall back out of his reach, he grabbed a fist full of his hair and plunged a needle into the younger man's neck before letting go and letting Bruces now limp body fall to the ground. "That should keep him until tomorrow afternoon." Alfred stated, turning his back and looking straight at Dick. "You should not be here when he wakes. None of us should. I will have to put the cave on lockdown. Would you mind gathering young Master Wayne for me." It wasn't a question. It was the first time, Dick heard anyway, a kindness in the Butlers voice when talking about Damian.

So he picked up the unconscious boy. There were sparks comming out of the Damian shaped indent in the computer console, which explained the burns. His leg fell limp in an awkward way. It was broken. This kid was not going to be happy when he woke up.

So Alfred locked down the cave once they were out and showed Dick to a bathroom, where they cleaned Damian up and dressed his wounds. After they put him to bed Dick was suprised that Alfred was showing him to a door that opened into a room and not to a cliff that he ordered him to jump off of.

He handed Dick a clean change of cloths and told him that there was a full bathroom to the right. He should get himself cleaned up and get a full nights rest.

"Alfred." Dick stopped the old man before he could walk through the door he had just opened and would soon close and lock behind him.

"Yes Richard?"

"Why are you trusting me?"

For a long moment, he didn't answer. Long enough, that Dick didnt think he was going to. "I truly believe, that if you give yourself time. One day, you might just be able to answer that question for yourself. Goodnight Mr. Grayson."

* * *

The man let out one long high pitched whistle. "Mahahan, this place is Niiiiice. This Wayne guy really knows what he's doing."

"Ahh Jeffreys. It's as if you have never been inside a rich man's house before." A small, skinny man, with a clever look in his eyes, sighed. He was dressed head to toe in protective gear. He was not here for his bronze but for his brains. Jeffreys was the bronze and every inch of his huge, steroid pumped body, screamed it.

There was the click of a gun. "Please, don't make yourselves at home. You won't be staying long. The cops are on their way. Not that you will be continous by the time they get here."

"Oh man, Spanky, look at this old geezer and his giant cahoonas." Jeffreys laughed.

"Jeffreys, how many times have I told you not to call me that!"

"I can shut him up if you'd like." Alfred turned on the spot to see a man in a red helmet only inches behind him. "Pennyworth." He noded.

"Boss. What are you-!"

Two shots went off and both men fell to the floor. "Thank you for your assistance boys but your services are no longer needed. Where is he Alfred?"

The old man held the gun steady. "Jason." Greeting...No, it was a warning.

The young man laughed once. "I always liked you Alfred. Believe me when I say that _you_ , are not a part of this and anything that may happen next, it's nothing personal."

"I'll keep that in mind if you can." Alfred noded his head once.

Jason spun around just in time to see a raven haired man swing a bat that collided with the side of his head before blacking out.

"That should keep him until tomorrow afternoon." Dick said with a satisfied smile.

Alfreds face was grave as he stared at the unconscious body on the floor.

"Should we put him in the cave? Let the ravaged Bat deal with him." Dick suggested casually. If they destroyed eachother, that would save him a lot of trouble.

"They would tare eachother to shreds. No." Alfred replied sadly.

Dick did his best to ignore the old man's grave mood by keeping his own voice light. "The cops are coming right? Should I hide, or pretend I got here first?"

"They would be surprised to see you here, since you are on leave due to a death in the family."

For a second his casual composer slipped. "What?"

Alfred arched his eyebrows, finally looking away from Jason. "You don't think Master Bruce would cover his tracks? Dick, do you even realise how long you have been here already?"

He shrugged. "A couple days?"

"Try a week."

"So hide."

"I would appreciate it if you took Jason with you. We'll deal with him after they," He indicated the other two body's on the floor." are gone."

"Wait, your not going to hand Red here over to the cops?"

"No Dick." He answerd softly. "This matter is personal. And I would rather have him under my nose, then someone else's."

* * *

The old man sighed deeply. "That's a broken door and now a window that will have to be fixed. I thought with Damian out of commission I might get a break, but no."

Dick scratched the side of his head, thinking about the broken door to the room Al had him locked in, currently laying on the hallway floor. "In my defense, it was either the door or your brains on the floor." They both stood in the room that Jasons unconscious body had laid only hours ago. Now the only thing that laid there were shards of glass from the broken window Jason must have jumped through to make his escape.

"You have much to learn about me Mr. Grayson. I'll get the broom." A loud crash came from down the hall. Alfred sighed deeply. "That would be Master Damian. He will require assistance getting dressed. Breakfast will be ready in an hour. I left a wheelchair by his door. Do be careful. He bites."

"Since when did I became the butlers assistant?" Dick sneered to no one because the butler was alread gone.

* * *

"This is all your fault!" Damian grumpily said for the hundredth time since Dick had walked into his room and got him dressed and was now pushing him to the kitchen. Dick Ideally wondered the whole way if Alfred would really mind if he pushed the kid out a window or off the roof. The brat's too tough to die but it might put him in a coma for a while. Give everyone a nice break.

Alfred just shook his head once they walked through the door and saw Dicks leg. "I told you he bites."

Dick lifted the little demons arm to show him the teeth marks. "So do I."

Alfred cracked a smile. "Breakfast is served."

"Well, this fancy. Bit much, don't you think?" Dick commented, picking up one of the many utensils infront of him.

"It's just a fork. Geeze." Damian sneered.

Dick just shrugged. Kid was right.

Suddenly the entire mansion rumbled as if a small earthquake had gust erupted.

Again, Alfred sighed deeply. "Master Bruce must be awake. Hopefully the cave hasn't suffered too much damage. Finesh your breakfast. We are going to have a long day ahead of us boys."

Dick and Damian shared a worried glance. They had a feeling they where about to find out exactly what Bruce was capable of.

* * *

 ***Author note***

 **Hey guys! I know it has been a while, sorry about that. Thank you so much for the reviews and favs while I have been stuck. They are really helping me find the inspection to keep going.**

 **Anyway you might see a slight shift or change in some of the characters, especially Bruce. Hewill be much darker and very unhinged. But you will know why.**

 **Don't worry there will be much more of Jay and the rest of the gange. I am no where need done with any of them yet.**

 **Hopefully, see you guys soon!**


End file.
